Tano and Twins
by Triscribe
Summary: From the moment they were born, Luke and Leia Skywalker loved their Aunt Ahsoka above all other beings in the galaxy. She raised, taught, and trained them, all while doing her best to keep the pair safe from the Empire, and aiding a Rebellion.
1. Act 1 Chapter 1

_A Note before we Begin:_

 _This story will take place in five acts. The first of them covers Luke and Leia's initial ten years of life, with various key moments and meetings. That same format goes for Act II, while the final three will cover the events of Episodes IV, V, and VI. Numerous characters from both the various movies, as well as The Clone Wars and Rebels tv shows will be making appearances, with AU twists of their own._

 _Now, without further adue, I present to you Tano and Twins. Enjoy!_

 _-Triscribe_

Act I - The Early Years

Chapter 1

Ahsoka Tano silently cried as she watched Padme's body enter the cremator. She'd done the best she could, taking the injured woman to a hidden med center on the nearest planet, desperate to save her and the baby. In the end, though, Padme died even as her twins were born.

Now, the former padawan was left with her tiny ship, a pair of mourning droids and two infants who'd been orphaned before they were even an hour old. There was a part of her mind that reminded Ahsoka she didn't know who'd won Anakin and Obi-wan's duel, but in the end it didn't matter. Her former Master was dead the moment he led soldiers into the Jedi Temple for a slaughter.

And now Ahsoka was responsible for protecting his children from the monster that was the Empire.

Releasing a shaky sigh, she turned and walked away. By the time the Togruta returned to her amalgamation of scrapyard rejects that passed for a spacecraft, she'd reigned in her turbulent emotions. Things were about to become hard enough without the added distress of grieving, especially with troopers combing the galaxy for Jedi on the run.

She might not _technically_ be a member of the ruined Order anymore, but if Ahsoka was recognized, she'd still be hunted down and killed. The same went for the pair of children she'd be raising.

"Force-sensitive twins," the teen groaned as she entered the ship. "Never did anything by halves, did you Skyguy?" Artoo beeped inquisitively at her, but Ahsoka just waved away his enquiry. She instead entered the tiny pilot's quarters, where C-3PO was fussing over the sleeping infants.

"I don't think they're going to spontaneously combust the moment you step away, Threepio."

"Oh! Mistress Tano, thank goodness you've returned unharmed." The protocol droid sounded far more relieved than Ahsoka had been expecting - Padme's death apparently affecting him a great deal. "We may be encountering difficulties with the children soon, as I am afraid I have no knowledge as to what the young Master Luke and Mistress Leia will require for sustenance upon their awakening-"

"Easy there, it's fine. I've got a few cases of dehydrated formula from the hospital. We'll just have to add water, and they'll be fine." Stepping past him, Ahsoka smiled sadly down at the twins. _Her_ twins, now. "And I'll make sure that they stay that way."

-T&T-

The twins, as Ahsoka soon came to learn, were connected by more than just blood.

She vaguely knew that Force-sensitive children could start to manifest small signs of their abilities as toddlers, usually in terms of causing small toys to hover, or stopping their crying moments before someone actually starts to comfort them. That was about the extent of her knowledge, though, since youngling education wasn't something the former Padawan had been particularly well-versed in.

However, even Ahsoka didn't think that the one year old twins working together to cause all the furniture around them to float in the air was entirely normal.

Threepio was doing his impression of racing about in a terrified panic, with Artoo chirping in devious delight off to one side of the room. Luke and Leia just giggled from where they sat side by side in a bowl-shaped crib, and Ahsoka sighed.

"I can't leave you people alone for ten minutes, can I?" She asked wearily, moving into the cabin and using her own powers with the Force to put everything back where it was supposed to go. Already, she could tell that the twins would be just as powerful as their father, which did _not_ bode well for their teenage years. Ahsoka felt the tremors of their disappointment as the game was ended, and quickly stepped forward to scoop the infants into her arms. "Hey now, shh, don't you start wailing on me again, you little pipsqueaks."

The Togruta rubbed her nose against each of the twins', suitably distracting them for the time being.

"I do wonder sometimes," she mused quietly. "Just how well Padme and Skyguy would have managed, raising you two troublemakers."

Leia merely yawned in response, hand automatically curling up so she could suck on her thumb. Luke, though, was looking at Ahsoka thoughtfully.

"Ah! Ah!"

"What's the matter with you, kiddo?"

"Ah! Ah-s-ka!"

The Togruta blinked, staring at the triumphant infant. "Did you just..."

"Ah-s-ka!" Luke burbled again, reaching up and bopping at her nose. Through the Force, Ahsoka could feel faint tendrils of his need to make her smile. She did so, just to please the already highly perceptive boy. Luke murmured her name one more time, before shifting in Ahsoka's arms to curl up against Leia and take a nap as well.

-T&T-

"No."

Bail Organa looked at her askance. "Ahsoka, we _need_ the Jedi, and aside from Obi-wan and Yoda you are-"

"Not gonna happen, Senator. My responsibility lies with the twins." She folded her arms defiantly. "For now, that means protecting them. Later, it will mean training them, and when they come of age they might, _might_ , join this rebellion of yours. But my days of fighting are over."

The man made an inarticulate sound of irritation, but he did not argue further. Ahsoka stood from her place at the table, preparing to leave and return to where Luke and Leia were waiting for her with the droids.

"Will you at least keep in touch with us? So that we know you're still alive?"

"...Perhaps." The woman said softly. "I won't do it too often, though - I don't want to risk revealing ourselves."

"What about a way for us to get in touch with you?" Bail asked desperately. He'd been the first person Obi-wan had come to, frantic over Padme's disappearance when she was injured and so heavily pregnant. Two years of searching later, the the Alderaanian Senator had finally managed to come in contact with Ahsoka Tano. They'd agreed to meet in a smoky tavern on an asteroid way-station, which was where Bail learned the fate of Padme and Anakin's twins.

With the hope they could bring to the galaxy, he was extremely reluctant to allow the Jedi to depart again without a way of checking in on her.

Ahsoka's response was to laugh.

"With as much as we move and change ships? No, Senator. Not possible. If you're that desperate to keep tabs on us, I suggest calling and asking Obi-wan to pay attention to the Force for the status of our well-being." And with that, she departed the tavern, vanishing into the crowded halls of the station.

-T&T-

She hadn't been expecting to run into another survivor of Order 66, but that's exactly what happened when Ahsoka set out from the shipyard. Caleb Dume was someone the older Padawan had only met on a few occasions, always at the Temple or else en route to different missions with their respective masters.

He'd gotten taller, more muscular, but still had the same expressive green eyes she remembered. And Caleb clearly could recall her as well, because almost as soon as he and the Togruta crossed paths, he was practically shoving her into a shadowed alley.

"You survived?!" Was the first thing out of his mouth, which Ahsoka really couldn't blame the kid for. He was squarely in his teenage years, after all, and probably had been making do on his own since the massacres.

"Kept my head down and out of sight for a while," she briefly said. "What about you?"

The pain and grief that flashed through Caleb's eyes was enough to tell her that someone must have died for the boy's escape.

"Look, we can swap stories later, but right now there's a stormtrooper patrol coming this way that I was trying to avoid."

Nodding, Ahsoka lead him back towards her ship. "Dume, I'm glad to see another survivor, and I'm happy to help make sure you keep on surviving - but I'm protecting a very important secret I need you to swear not to reveal to _anyone_ , not foe and maybe not even friend, either."

"I swear."

"You don't even know what it is." Ahsoka couldn't keep the light trace of amusement out of her tone at this.

Caleb merely shrugged as they rounded another building. "Doesn't matter. You might have left the Order, but you're still Jedi, like me. You wouldn't ask such a thing if it wasn't of absolute importance."

Even with his confident words, though, the human was thrown for a loop when he first met the three year old twins. He became even more off balance when Ahsoka explained the story behind their birth and the real reason why they needed to be kept such a tight secret.

Still, Caleb stood by his promise, and Ahsoka promptly gave him a lift to Alderaan, where Obi-wan was able to take up responsibility for the boy's remaining training. And after he was deemed worthy to become a Jedi Knight, Caleb, taking on the name Kanan Jarrus, jumped right into work with the blooming resistance efforts.


	2. Act 1 Chapter 2

Act I

Chapter 2

They'd been caught - spotted on the way back to the shipyards, cornered in a small vacant lot between three warehouses. A trio of Stormtroopers slowly approached where Ahsoka stood defensively in front of her four year old charges, lightsabers at the ready. Hopefully, she'd be able to take them down and then continue fleeing with the twins, but if worst came to worst the Togruta was ready to lay down her life to let Luke and Leia run for it.

"Commander Tano?" One of the troopers asked.

Ahsoka froze.

Together, the men in white armor powered down their weapons, before removing their helmets. Three identical faces stared at her in shock and hope, their tattoos and hairstyles different enough from one another that she was able to come up with the proper nicknames.

"Dogma? Ridge?" She asked hesitantly. "Jesse?"

Instantly the trio of clones broke out into delighted smiles. "Commander, it _is_ you! We thought you'd died after the Purges!" Jesse was the first to reach out and grasp her hand in greeting.

"I- I don't-"

"Yeah, you don't get why we aren't shooting at you right now." Ridge smirked. "You left before the whole biochip mess with Tup and Fives, but the basic explanation is that Captain Rex and a few of us from the 501st got rid of the thing in our heads that forced us to follow Order 66."

Ahsoka let out a strangled laugh. "Glad to hear it."

"What are you doing out here anyway, Commander? And with kids, for that matter?" Dogma asked in concern, tilting his head slightly to get a better look at the wide-eyed twins.

"Running." Ahsoka said simply. "Nowhere is safe any more, not for me and especially not for Skyguy's children."

The clones blinked at her, looking like someone had just walloped all three of them over the head with a durasteel pipe.

"In that case," Jesse finally managed to get out. "How about we help you three clear out?"

"I'd appreciate it, guys. Are any other members of the old outfit here? Preferably ones who won't shoot me on sight?" Their group started to walk out of the lot, the troopers donning their helmets again as they gathered protectively around the Jedi.

"Nah, just us. The higher ups have been working hard the last few years to break up the old Clone Trooper legions, sending our brothers out as cannon fodder to make way for recruited members." Dogma explained, his grimace evident even hidden by the helmet.

"Every year there's fewer and fewer of us." Jesse put in.

"But, it's not all the Empire's doing." Ridge's voice dropped into a mutter. "Rex and others have started a defection campaign. They're saying the clones were made to fight for the Republic, which meant battling Seppies in the War - and now means we're honor bound to join the Rebel Alliance that's begun sabotaging everything Imperial."

Ahsoka felt her heart start to beat faster. "Are you guys planning on doing that too? Defecting, I mean?"

"At some point, yeah. We don't want to be sent down the flusher like our brothers."

"Then why not make it today?"

By the time they'd reached the shipyards, Ahsoka had convinced the trio to leave right then and there with her oddball little family. So, all six of them headed up the ramp of her dingy spacecraft, the sight of the troopers nearly sending Artoo and Threepio into fits. It took a few minutes for the woman to calm the droids down, while her young charges watched the clones start to remove their outer armor.

"Hey, Commander, these kids _do_ talk, don't they?" Ridge joked at one point.

"'Course they do. They're just a little over-awed at seeing Stormtroopers we don't have to be afraid of." The trio all winced at that, an action that seemed to satisfy the twins' cautionary instincts. As soon as Dogma took a seat, the little girl immediately clambered up into his lap.

"Um..." He tried not to move or freak out as the child's soft hands passed over his face, tracing the inked markings there. "Commander? Help?"

"Careful Leia, you're making the big bad trooper feel uncomfortable." The Togruta woman teased, heading for the cockpit.

Jesse and Ridge snickered as they took their own seats, but that was quickly silenced as Leia's brother placed himself on the bench between them.

"Hi there, little one." Jesse was, once again, the first to recover his wits. "What's your name?"

"Luke," came the quiet answer. "Who're you?"

"CT-5597, but you can call me Jesse. That's Ridge, and the one your sister's sitting on is Dogma. We used to fight alongside Commander Tano and General Skywalker."

"You knew Daddy?" Leia asked, settling herself cross-legged in Dogma's lap and facing the others across the aisle.

"Sure. You know about him, don't you?"

"Auntie 'Soka says she'll tell us more when we're _older."_ Luke's nose wrinkled in dismay. "But we don't wanna wait that long!"

"Well then, what age-appropriate stories can we come up with, lads?"

Taking the pilot's seat and starting up the ship's engines, Ahsoka listened with a smile as she heard the clones start to tell her young charges about the War and some of the mischief their dad managed to get himself into on a regular basis. She'd have to interrupt in a little while to get destination coordinates, but in the meantime was content to let the bonding commence.

-T&T-

It hadn't been her intention. Quite the opposite, in fact. But the little red-headed girl was clearly strong with the Force, and just as clearly on the run from approaching Stormtroopers. So, against her better judgement, Ahsoka offered the girl a hiding place aboard their small freighter.

The five year old, whose name was Mara Jade, acted extremely wary at first. Then the twins tumbled out of their shared room, and within minutes all three were chattering happily to one another. Ahsoka brought out some food, waited another half hour for the search outside to wind down, and then took them up through the atmosphere into space.

"Mara?" The girl looked up at her, much more at ease by this point. "How would like to go somewhere you'll be protected by an old friend of mine? He can keep you fed and warm, and pass on a few lessons for those same tricks you said got you into trouble in the first place."

She thought about it for a minute, before nodding. Ahsoka set a course for Dagobah.

Hopefully, Master Yoda wouldn't fuss at her _too_ badly... After all, it had to be boring, spending his entire day just meditating and using the Force to send false visions to the Emperor. A youngling in need of training would be just the thing for the old troll, keep him active. And if hiding Mara on the swampy planet worked out well, then perhaps Ahsoka could start to find other Force sensitive children and repeat the procedure.

And if questioned as to why only using one hiding place, she would respond that the new Jedi Order had to start somewhere.

-T&T-

Six years.

Six years the Empire had been running things throughout the galaxy, and Lux Bonteri found himself thinking fondly of the War - which was of course ludicrous.

Even though it had introduced _her_ to him. Whereas, by contrast, the Empire ensured that she was lost forever.

Lux had often thought of the incredible Jedi Padawan who'd turned his entire world upside down, and not just in terms of politics. Sometimes, stray thoughts would enter his mind of whether they could've been anything more than close friends, if he'd worked harder to try and find her after that miserable bombing attack and subsequent trial had driven her out of the Order.

But, whenever those thoughts and questions rose up, he inevitably had to drive them back, getting on with his work.

Not his senatorial work, of course - _that_ job was slowly becoming a farce, a feeble reassurance from Palpatine that the people still ruled themselves. No, more and more often Lux was doing a _different_ sort of job - one where he couriered certain documents, or slipped differing amounts of credits into bank accounts that all found their way back to the Rebel Alliance. And, occasionally, it was this work that brought him to out of the way planets and run-down refueling stations, which also offered diners and cheap hotels to intergalactic travellers.

It was in one such place, after he'd made a drop and was preparing to depart, that the young man very nearly walked straight into the female who'd been haunting his dreams for six years.

"Ahsoka?" Lux choked in shock. "How did- where-"

"Not here!" The Togruta hushed him desperately, checking for any who might have heard them. Not seeing any spies or eavesdroppers, she grabbed Lux's hand and led him back down the hall to her dingy hotel room.

"You're alive," he mumbled in awe. "I can't believe it- six years since the Purge, and all this time I've thought you were dead-"

"It's better if you keep that to yourself." Ahsoka warned him as she unlocked the door. "And not just for my sake."

"Of course, I wouldn't dream of-" His words cut off as they entered the room, and Lux caught sight of the two small forms curled up together on the bed. "A-ahsoka?"

"Shh. I need to explain before they wake up." She sighed, pulling the young man over to a pair of chairs by the wall.

"Who are the younglings?"

Ahsoka hesitated for a few moments until she gave in. "Luke and Leia Skywalker." Lux gaped at her, his jaw twitching slightly in a way that would've been hilarious had the circumstances been different. Much, _much_ different.

"...General Skywalker's children?" He finally managed to get out.

"Yeah. Twins, birthed by Senator Padme Amidala. I was there when she died, Lux. When Anakin went over to the Dark Side and became Darth Vader."

Now he was looking at her with even greater alarm. "Vader?! You have _Vader's_ children?!"

"And if he ever finds out that they're alive, we'll be hunted down like no other fugitive before us. I don't know if there's anything of a loving father left inside that monster, but I'm _not_ going to sacrifice either of the twins' safety just to find out." Ahsoka stated firmly. Lux watched her in silence for a few minutes, his gaze flicking over to the children a couple of times.

"...What can I do to help?"

The dazzling smile she gave him instantly overwrote any lingering doubts the young man had about getting into even deeper trouble.


	3. Act 1 Chapter 3

Act I

Chapter 3

Ahsoka carefully brought the ship down through Dagobah's muggy atmosphere, heading for the lone semi-solid clearing near Master Yoda's abode. In the ship's main room, seven year old Luke and Leia were keeping another pair of youngling passengers entertained. They'd picked up the twi'leks from Nal Yeshu, an older brother and his toddler sister, both Force sensitives. The pair would make the ninth and tenth children Ahsoka had rescued and brought to Master Yoda for protection and training over the last couple of years.

Obi-wan was also responsible for picking up a few through his work with the Alliance, though he rarely delivered them to the swampy planet himself, instead passing that duty on to Kanan Jarrus and the small crew that the Knight had attached himself to. There were somewhere around fifteen younglings now living and training on the swampy planet, each at a point between the ages of two and ten, all kept hidden from the Emperor by Yoda's manipulations of the Force.

They were few in number, but they were growing in strength. A mere handful more years down the line, and Ahsoka wouldn't be surprised if some of the older ones began clamoring to go join the Rebel forces, to strike back at those who hunted them. Luke and Leia would be at the forefront of that movement, for certain, which had the Togruta woman worried about what she'd do after they left her care. Their brief encounters with Imperial forces were bad enough; she didn't want the pair in harm's way more than absolutely necessary. But if they were to join the Alliance, they'd likely become very large targets of the Empire, possibly even Vader himself - something Ahsoka had sworn to never let happen, no matter where that promise took her.

 _So could she bring herself to fight again? To join the frontlines of another war, putting her life on the line once more?_

No. Where there was life, there was hope. She would keep to the background, the shadows - small pieces of sabotage and theft here and there, continuing to seek out Force sensitives and bring them to Yoda. And if she kept an eye on the twins' own missions, well... They'd become her kids, somewhere along the way.

And Ahsoka would throw herself into the fires of Mustafar before letting death befall either one of them.

She and her oddball little family wound up staying for the night, Luke and Leia taking the time after dinner to regale their friends with stories of all the planets they'd seen around the galaxy. Yoda drew Ahsoka off to one side, in order to tell her of a message that had come through only the day before.

"Found an orphan on Lothal, Knight Jarrus has." The ancient master explained. "One strong with the Force. To bring him here, Jarrus thinks he must, but desires to keep the boy himself, he does."

"I don't see a problem with that." Ahsoka smiled. "Especially since Caleb's actually finished his training - he'll be a great teacher."

"Hmph. Said as much, I did, but doubts Jarrus still harbors. Desire you to speak with him, I do."

"Of course, Master."

"And confer upon you, rank of Jedi Knight, we must do soon."

Ahsoka felt the entirely of her muscles freeze. "K-knight? Me? But- but Master Yoda, I _left-"_

"And come back, have you not? Abandoned the ways of the Order, no. Left younglings to be taken or killed, no. Gone into seclusion, no. A readiness for Knighthood, such things demonstrate, no?"

Still stunned, Ahsoka went to bed that evening with Yoda's amused chuckles still bouncing around in her head.

-T&T-

Rex knelt down before the eight year olds with a delighted grin. "So, these are the infamous twins I keep hearing so much about. You two gotten into any good mischief lately?"

"Does Luke flooding the 'fresher yesterday count?" Leia piped up, causing her brother to smirk and Ahsoka to groan.

"Third time this month," she admitted to Rex when he sent her a questioning look. "The Force just keeps getting stronger and stronger with these two." He snickered, and then the other clone defectors entered the room, both twins running off to greet those that they recognized.

"How are you handling things, Ahsoka?" The man asked quietly as he got to his feet again.

"I'm hanging in there." She sighed, watching Luke and Leia. "Keeping those two from causing trouble keeps getting harder, but aside from the few times we've had to run from Stormtroopers it's not so bad."

"Mm. I imagine that with the General's genetics they make quite a handful." Rex's musing caused her to chuckle.

"That's one way of putting it." They shared a grin as the twins proceeded to climb up their favorite troopers in order to perch on muscular shoulders and be taller than everyone else.

-T&T-

"I _told_ you we shouldn't have wandered away from the base!" Keeping his voice at a whisper, Luke emphasized how irritated he was with his twin through their Force bond. Leia merely rolled her eyes, carefully leaning over to peer around the shipping crates they were hiding behind.

A patrol of six troopers were now standing between the siblings and their exit, their sargeant making gestures as he ordered the rest to spread out and search.

"And I distinctly remember trying to tell you not to get involved with that scene in the square," she hissed back.

"They were gonna beat up that old man and his grandson!"

"So we should have gone up to the rooftops and attacked them from above before running, not charge right into the middle of it all!"

Their argument was abruptly cut off by the sound of blaster fire, close but not coming towards them. Both twins risked peeking over the tops of the crates, and were awed to see a armored girl taking down their adversaries. She'd dropped right into their midst, able to avoid the majority of the shots, striking at weak points between white armor plates with a pair of electrified gauntlets. Within moments, the entire patrol was down, and the Skywalkers immediately moved to approach their savior.

The twi'lek teenager pulled her mask up to grin at the nine year old twins. "Hi there. My name's Numa. And if you two know what's good for ya, you'll stop attracting so much Imperial attention in future yeah?"

"Y-yeah," Luke stuttered, still staring at the bodies of the Stormtroopers Numa had brought down so swiftly. Leia, meanwhile, was studying the semi-familiar yellow designs on their savior's armor.

"Are those... The markings of the two-twelfth?" She asked tentatively. Numa's eyes widened.

"You recognize 'em?"

"Of course I do! We're friends with a lot of clone defectors - members of the five-oh-first, the hundred and fourth, _and_ the two-twelfth!" The twi'lek gaped at them, understanding finally dawning on her face.

"You two are Tano's missing twins," she murmured. "Fek, I've gotta get you to Boil right away."

"Boil's here?" Luke asked. "Cody's told us about him!"

"Yeah, he and I head up one of the resistance cells for Ryloth's northern hemisphere. Kriff, I can't wait to tell Hera about this... Hey, you two know Kanan and Ezra, right?"

-T&T-

Both Luke and Leia looked curiously to their guardian when she froze in place, wearing a mixed expression of shock and fear.

"...Aunt 'Soka?" Leia put forward. "Are you okay?" Her words snapped the Togruta out of whatever state she'd been sucked into, and though the fear still lingered, it was overshadowed by a grim determination.

"We need to leave. Now." Even as she spoke, Ahsoka grabbed a hand of each twin and set off at a swift pace, hurrying them through the halls of the spaceport as quickly as possible without attracting too much attention. The Skywalkers exchanged perplexed glances, their bond mirroring confusion on both ends.

And then they felt it too.

A disturbance in the Force, like a massive front of storm clouds, was steadily approaching them. The twins dimly recognized the sensation of it, Luke being the one to make the connection between the nearing signature and the presence that often invaded their shared dreams. His sister then put the pieces together, and realized it must be the Sith that Ahsoka often feared would steal the pair away.

Darth Vader.

Blue eyes met brown in concern, as both children realized with sudden clarity that they would not have enough time to leave before he arrived. Their guardian must have reached the same conclusion, because at the next junction, she came to a stop and knelt before the twins.

"Take this corridor, the next left, and then you'll be at the hangar bay where Artoo and Threepio are waiting with the ship. I want the four of you to power it up and leave." Ahsoka instructed them. "Jump to hyperspace in a random direction, in case anyone tries to follow, and then make your way to Rex's base. He'll take care of you both."

Neither of the ten year olds voiced the question _What about you?_ They knew what their guardian was planning - and that she didn't expect to come out of it alive. Instead of futilely protesting, the twins grabbed her in a tight hug, extending their Force signatures just enough to convey how much they loved her. The answering embrace and flood of emotions - _love, pride, hope_ \- showed that the Togruta felt just the same.

When Ahsoka pulled away from them, her eyes were glittering with tears. "Go," she whispered, watching as Luke and Leia took off down the hall. Then she took a deep breath, hands tucking themselves into the sleeves of her long shirt and grasping the lightsabers hidden there. It was then a simple matter of releasing the strict hold on her shields, allowing enough of her Force signature to leak out and attract Vader's attention. Focused on preparing for the coming battle, Ahsoka deliberately blocked all connections to the twins, the better to protect and hide them.

And so, she was unaware that the pair never made it all the way to their ship.

 _End Act I_

 _There will be a week-long intermission until Act II begins. Ain't I a stinker?_


	4. Act 2 Chapter 1

_A Note before we begin:_

 _Welcome back to the old readers, and greetings to the newcomers! As mentioned in my original Note way back in the beginning of this tale, Act II will be covering events for the twins in their second decade of life. These segments are generally a bit longer than those in Act I, so there will be four chapters instead of three. And then we'll reach the timeline of the movies, where everything gets thrown up in the air... Anywho, I do hope you enjoy, and go check out my accompanying story in this AU, titled Jumpstart and featuring the heroes of Star Wars Rebels._

 _Thanks for reading!_

 _-Triscribe_

Act II - The Second Decade

Chapter 1

The inspection tour of Imperial personnel stationed at Caridhres was supposed to be routine. If anyone had told Darth Vader beforehand that he'd be encountering his former Padawan in the main spaceport, the Sith would've laughed, and then Force-choked them for bringing the subject up.

And yet, on the approach, he distinctly felt the presence of someone trained in the Force on the moon below. A few moments later, that presence resolved itself into a _very_ familiar signature - one that was waiting for him.

Suddenly, Vader couldn't decide whether he wanted the _Executor's_ shuttle to hurry up and land, or turn around and carry him away from the confrontation a part of him had hoped to never deal with.

Then they were landing, and the choice was taken out of his hands.

"Lieutenant," the Sith rumbled. "You will instruct the station manager to seal off this wing. Clear all civilians and personnel - there is a rogue Jedi hidden here."

"A Jedi, Lord Vader? Are you certain?"

"Of course I am, and you would be wise not to question me." The young man flinched at Vader's overpowering voice, hastily exiting the shuttle and heading for the central control room. Vader, meanwhile, moved slightly more leisurely towards the hangar bay where she was waiting for him.

Were the man not so focused on the upcoming confrontation, ten years in the making, he might have questioned just why his former student wasn't attempting to flee. As it was, though, only one thing held his attention.

By the time he arrived in the hangar, she was alone. A billowy tunic had been discarded behind her, revealing sleek pieces of armor and close-fitting clothing, ideal for remaining flexible in battle.

And a battle it was.

More than ten minutes of high-paced motion and destruction later, not a single inch of the previously pristine place was left untouched - the floor, the walls, even the ceiling had suffered. Dancing lightsabers left scorch marks upon all surfaces, while entire chunks of duracrete ripped up and Force-thrown created a wide debris field. The various crates and spare parts stored within the hangar had also contributed, used as projectiles and shields in turn.

In the end, though, there was only one possible outcome. A minor slip, a bit of lucky timing, and Vader was able to slam his opponent into a wall, and from there, unconsciousness. He remained where he stood, breathing heavily for a few moments, before carefully approaching.

Such a prominent figure from the Clone Wars should be turned over to the Emperor's keeping, so that she could be interrogated and then publicly executed.

But he couldn't bring himself to accept that plan of action.

Instead, the Sith raised his crimson blade, preparing to make his old Padawan's death quick and painless-

"NO!" A pair of young voices screamed, and the next thing Vader knew, he was being Force-flung away from the Togruta's prone form. When the Sith finally managed to rise to his feet again, two small figures had placed themselves in between him and the fallen Jedi.

Had he still been capable of it, Vader's breath would have caught in his throat. The children looked to be the same age, around ten standard-years, and had enough similarities in their faces that he automatically assumed them to be siblings. But it was the matching looks of fierce determination that had him stalled.

After all, how often had he seen that exact same expression on his beloved Padme?

"Stay away from her!" The girl yelled at him, while her brother used the Force to summon both of Tano's lightsabers.

He handed one to his sister, before fixing Vader with a dire glare. "You already killed our Dad. We won't let you take Aunt Ahsoka too."

"...Is that so?" The Sith lord eventually managed to say. "And who might your father have been? A weak-willed rebel who cowered beneath my blade?"

The children both jerked their chins up in a familiar expression of defiance he himself had used many times, and replied in sync, "Jedi Knight Anakin Skywalker."

Vader felt as though the ground had fallen away beneath him.

-T&T-

 _Imperial Bounty:_

 _Ahsoka Tano, a Togruta woman appearing between 25 and 30 standard years of age. Former Jedi, skilled in the Force and to be considered highly dangerous. Reward for Proof of Death: Sixty thousand credits. Reward for Live Capture: Eighty Thousand credits._

 _Travelling with Tano are two Force-sensitive younglings: human twins, one male, one female, of the approximate age of 11 standard years. Skill level unknown, to be considered moderately dangerous but harmed under No Circumstances. Reward for Live Capture of One: Ninety-five Thousand credits. Reward for Live Capture of Both: Two hundred thousand credits._

The bounty hunter came out of nowhere, and Ahsoka cursed herself internally and repeatedly over her complacency. Just because she and the twins were taking a well-deserved break on a mostly empty planet of lakes and forests didn't mean trouble couldn't find them.

Her lightsabers had, fortunately, been close to hand, and were immediately put to use furiously blocking the blaster bolts coming straight towards her unprotected body. Gritting her teeth, Ahsoka tried to maneuver closer to the armored figure standing right at the treeline. In response, the hunter pulled out a second weapon, and aimed it to where Luke and Leia were fleeing up the beach.

"No!" Ahsoka cried, using the Force to pull both weapons from his hands. "Leave them alone!"

"Sorry, Jedi," the hunter chuckled, spiked helmet hiding whatever expression he'd gained. "But Vader will pay me a fortune to have those brats delivered to him."

"You're not touching my kids." She snarled. The harsh tone clearly caused the bounty hunter to baulk for a moment, and that was all the time Ahsoka needed to Force-drop a heavy tree branch onto his head. As the man went down, she didn't bother going to check on his state. Instead, the Togruta woman took off, desperate to catch up to the twins and get them as far from this place as possible.

Their ship was resting on a stretch of bare stone just beside the lakeshore, and already Ahsoka could see that someone - probably Artoo - had fired up the engines. The light linen cloth of her robe flapped around her sprinting form, and she never paused on approach, even going so far as to shout for them to take off just as her feet touched the boarding ramp. Thrusters roared, supports retracted, and Ahsoka collapsed to the metal floor right as the entryway closed behind her, the ship humming as it rose into the air. Luke and Leia were by her side in an instant, still damp and in their swimming clothes.

"Aunt 'Soka? Are you okay? Are you hit?" Their questions were overlaid one another to the point that she could barely understand what was being said, but the concern was clear to see.

"I'm fine," she assured the pair, once her strained breathing had slowed down. "We're fine." Even so, neither of the pair were willing to leave her side for a long while afterward.

 _P.S It was recently discovered that my 83 year old grandmother may have lung cancer, and today the decision was made to bring her down to Texas for enrollment in a top-notch treatment center - WHICH means that I'm the lucky person who gets to drive to Virginia and back to retrieve her. This will be a five-day round trip if everything goes according to plan, and I'll hopefully be able to get an internet connection at one of the stops en route long enough to update. If not, I'll be back next Monday, Tano and Twins in tow._


	5. Act 2 Chapter 2

Act II

Chapter 2

"We aren't supposed to stay together in there, are we?" Luke asked, peering into the dark entryway of the cave.

"You could," Ahsoka replied in a deceptively mild voice. "But neither of you might find your crystals that way."

Resigning themselves, the twelve year old twins shared a determined look, and then stepped into the sacred caves as had countless Jedi younglings before them. The time had finally come for them to construct their own lightsabers, and neither was inclined to fail.

Partway down the frigid tunnel, they came to a crossroads and decided to split up.

"You need any help, just call," Luke reminded his sister, meaning their connection through the Force. The twins had become rather adept at speaking to one another with their bond, as opposed to their shared link with Ahsoka, which conducted emotions and some images but no words as of yet.

The female Skywalker went left, while her brother went right. And the challenges they encountered respectively were both surprisingly simplistic yet all the more powerful for their inner meaning.

Leia wound up needing to descend into a deep crevice to pursue the glow she assumed was her destined crystal, only to discover that it was merely an illusion, followed by being unable to climb back out. She panicked, growing more and more desperate to find the necessary hand- and footholds, but to no avail. Calling for Luke and Ahsoka failed as well, and the girl nearly collapsed from despair.

But then, she took a deep, bracing breath, and called on the Force alone.

Following its guidance, Leia was able to locate a hidden crack in the wall, slipping inside to follow along a winding trail, which eventually brought her back up to the top of the crevice. And waiting by the exit was a deep blue kyber crystal, just for her.

In another section of the ice caves, Luke kept pausing by various openings, convinced he was hearing people calling out to him. Once it was his sister, then Aunt Ahsoka, but then others as well. Some he recognized as his friends, like his fellow padawans Mara Jade and Ezra Bridger, or Rex and the other clone deserters. But then there were a couple he didn't know: a woman, who's soft voice stirred something within him, and then a man, who caused the same effect to an even greater degree.

Each and every time one of these voices called Luke's name from the side passages, he did his best to ignore them and keep moving forward.

Then there was a new voice from up ahead, one that the boy often would hear repeated in his dreams and nightmares - one constantly echoed by a harsh respirator. The sound of Vader would not deter him, though, and Luke forged onward despite his fear.

As the boy entered a much larger cavern, the Sith lord's words of temptation and offering remained the same, but the voice saying them suddenly shifted back into one of the earlier ones, the man that Luke hadn't been able to recognize.

He shivered from a sudden chill as the voice used the phrase _my son,_ and the cave seemed to grow even colder.

"No," the twelve year old said, more firmly that he felt. "You won't tempt me. You won't trick me. And you definitely won't turn me against the people who are my _real_ family."

And with that announcement, the booming voice vanished, leaving everything eerily silent. Trembling slightly where he'd dropped to his knees, Luke took a proper look around the large space. He caught sight of a glow at the far end, and with great relief retrieved a green kyber crystal.

When the twins first re-joined one another, they hugged and just remained in place for a few minutes. Then Leia remembered the time limit, and the pair hurried back towards the entrance.

That night, back aboard their current rustbucket of a ship, the pair went over their experiences with Ahsoka, who mulled their words over for a time before responding.

"Both of you should understand that the Caves usually only provide a lesson, a valuable point to each individual," the woman began to explain. "But for you two, I think they went a step further, giving you strong warnings. Leia, I've often said you take after Anakin in a lot of ways, and I think one of those is that you have a greater risk of being ruled by your emotions and falling to the Dark Side."

The girl immediately tensed up, prompting her brother to come over from his bunk and hug her. "I won't. I swear I won't."

"You swear that now, but the risk remains." Ahsoka said gently. "Turning is a slippery slope, one that can be all too easy to start going down almost before you realize what's happening. And, I hate to say it, but you won't always be able to rely on your friends and family being able to pull you back to the Light again."

"Trust in the Force, and it will lead you back," Luke murmured, reminding his twin that that was exactly what she'd done in the caverns.

Their aunt smiled. "Exactly. As for you, kiddo, I think that your warning was delivered a bit differently, but the same idea - the old Jedi avoided attachments precisely because losing them could cause a turn to the Dark Side as well."

"Was that what happened to Dad?"

Ahsoka went very still.

"How...?"

"None of you have ever told us exactly what happened to him, only that he was defeated by Darth Vader."

"And that Mom was caught in the crossfire," Leia added. Both twins looked to their guardian expectantly, causing the Togruta to sigh.

"He was defeated, in a way." She said, very softly. "The man who was my Master became no more when he fell to the Dark Side, replaced by the monster Darth Vader."

"That's why... That's why he didn't try fighting us when we first met." Luke found himself swallowing past a lump in his throat. "We knew he was in shock over the name of our father - it's what gave us the chance to bring down the roof of the hangar and get away."

"Except he wasn't in shock because we were the children of his old enemy, but because we were _his_ children." His sister finished, stunned.

"And why he's put such a large bounty out on capturing the two of you alive," Ahsoka added wearily.

"...He'll try to turn us, won't he?"

"If he catches you, his choices will either be to do that, or else give you to the Emperor." They all shuddered at that particular option.

"Do you think... There's a chance, that there might still be something good in him?"

Ahsoka gave Luke a wry smile. "Y'know, that's just what Padme tried to convince me of right before she died. I wasn't able to believe it at the time - and I'm certain that, regarding the vast majority of the galaxy and its inhabitants, there isn't a shred of mercy or compassion left in that mechanical suit. But with you two... I don't know. Maybe."

There was a great deal more thinking than sleeping to take place that night.

-T&T-

" _Please,"_ the kid begged him. "Our ship's been confiscated, and if we don't get her to a med center, she'll die."

"And what's wrong with the Imperial one here in town?" Han asked mildly. The twenty three year old was already perfectly aware of the answer he'd get, though: _it's run by the Imps._

His pesterer suddenly switched from pleading to determined. "If you get us, undetected, to a neutral med center, we'll pay you in kyber crystals."

Han's heart nearly stuttered to a stop, and even Chewie looked over from where he was tweaking some of the _Falcon's_ internal machinery. "How the kriff do you have _kyber crystals_ to barter with?!"

The kid just crossed his arms and raised an eyebrow. "Do we have a deal or not?"

If they managed to get just one of those crystals to sell on any planet's black market, Han and Chewie could be set for years. He nodded to the kid, who looked instantly relieved. The boy stepped away for a second, his eyes screwing shut, before they popped open again with a happy gleam.

"Okay. My sister's bringing her now. They'll be here in a few minutes." Han blinked at the weirdness of it all, but went ahead and started throwing stuff aboard the ship. He'd just stepped back outside when the kid's twin showed up, tugging a float pallet with a limp form atop it, a pair of droids following after. Then Han got the shock of his life when Chewbacca looked over, keened, and immediately raced to the side of the injured woman.

"What the-?"

"Hey!" Both kids protested as the wookie smoothed a hand over their aunt's face. Han hurried over to keep anything unfortunate from happening, his mind skipping over the woman's obvious alien status for the time being, as well as the bloody bandages wrapped around her midsection.

"What's the matter with you?" The young man demanded. His eyebrows shot up at Chewie's wailed answer. "You know her? _How?!"_

The mountain of fur launched into an explanation about kidnappings, being hunted by a squad of Trandoshans, and the brave young Jedi padawans whom he'd worked with to escape. During this, both smugglers got their various confused passengers situated aboard the _Millennium Falcon._ The injured woman went into the ship's small med bay, the golden protocol droid remaining by her side while the twins and R-2 unit followed after Chewie, intrigued in spite of themselves.

"So. Jedi, huh?" Han mused when his partner finally finished, gaze flicking over to the suddenly stiff kids. "Guess that explains about the kyber crystals. You planning on taking them out of those fancy blades of yours?"

The girl of the pair gaped at her brother, who winced. "You promised him _what?!"_

"We've got those spares from the old lightsabers Ahsoka scavenged on Dantooine..."

"Luke! Those are supposed to be emergency replacements if we lose our sabers!" Before the argument could really get under way, Chewbacca stepped forward and knelt before the twins. He said something to them, and both thirteen year olds promptly looked to Han for translation.

The man rolled his eyes. "He wants to know if that woman is really your aunt or not."

"...She was our dad's padawan learner." The boy, Luke, said after a moment. "And the only who's looked after us since he and Mom died right before the Purge started."

Chewbacca made a sound mixed between a roar and a whine, which nearly sent Han into a fit. "Excuse me?! Whaddya mean we aren't gonna charge 'em?" The twins were suddenly staring at the wookie with wide, hopeful eyes. He launched into a determined speech, which caused his partner's eyes to close in emotional pain.

"But... Buddy... But that isn't- Oh, _fine._ " Han glared at the kids. "You get a free ride to the nearest med center where they won't ask names. After that, though, you want another lift, you pay us off with manual labor. Got it?"

"Got it!" A pair of oh-so-cheerful voices chirped, accompanied by an excited whirring from the astromech behind them. "Oh, by the way, I'm Luke, that's Leia, this is Artoo, over there is Threepio and our aunt's name is Ahsoka." Han just nodded and told them to get strapped in for the launch. On the way to the cockpit, he punched his old friend's arm.

"Congratulations, Chewie, you just adopted us an entire kriffin' basket of strays."

The wookie's delighted laughter did not help his sour mood in the slightest.

 _A/N: Well, I made the trip to Virginia just fine, and only lost about two thirds of my sanity on the drive back, which was better than I expected to make out. My grandmother and her three little dogs are just fine for now, and I want to thank everyone who wished us well._

 _Next update for Tano and Twins should be in three days - see you all then!_

 _-Triscribe_


	6. Act 2 Chapter 3

_A/N: A quick alert to those of you enjoying the AU qualities of this story - I've got a new thing out, titled "The 'What If' and 'How About' Star Wars Collection", where I'm sticking all my different ideas for how our favorite younglings could wind up in circumstances vastly altered from canon. If you're interested, please go take a look - first chapter is a table of contents, where descriptions for all the plotlines are listed out._

 _That said, please enjoy this latest installment of Tano and Twins (and don't fuss at me for the ending, it's nowhere near as bad as Act One's!)._

 _-Triscribe_

Act II

Chapter 3

During the time that Ahsoka was stuck on Alderaan recovering from her wounds, Luke and Leia continued their nomadic lifestyle by visiting one group after another, transported by their new friends Chewbacca and Han Solo. First was Uncle Obi-wan, who took the twins to a few different ancient sites of Jedi learning, passing on lessons of technique and patience as well as history. Then, they got to enjoy the hospitality of Rex's various units, helping out with a few sabotage missions against the Empire. (There was also a supply run that resulted in the twins meeting Commander Wolffe, who'd been secretly guarding the wounded Jedi Master Plo Koon since Order 66.) A month was spent on Hera Syndulla's ship the _Ghost,_ enjoying observing the family dynamic between her, Kanan, Ezra, Zeb and Sabine. Oh, and Chopper. He and Artoo actually hit it off right away, entering into a friendship that seemed to mostly revolve around messing with Threepio and just generally causing mischief.

After that, another month went by for the twins on Dagobah, where they apparently lived up to Master Yoda's expectations of being highly skilled combatants with almost no appreciation for the quieter aspects of Jedi teachings. Well, Leia lived up to that description, at least. After their time spent with Obi-wan, Luke was becoming corrupted to enjoy the internal peace of meditation.

Their fourteenth birthday came and went on the swampy planet, with all thirty younglings pitching in for the quiet party. Everyone ignored the fact that the rest of the galaxy was going through the motions of celebrating Empire Day (whether they were glad for it or not), instead focusing on their shared desire to restore the Republic, the Order, and their ability to live freely.

When asked what he thought of this third hope, Yoda gave his crowd of charges a pained smile and admitted that the old teachings of the Jedi would no longer be practical for going into the future.

"Lived in the past, did we." The old master said, and then corrected. "Did I. When restored, a new Grand Master, the Order must have. One with eyes looking forward, not back."

His words set off a lengthy debate amongst the younglings afterward, with many agreeing that it would probably be someone from their ranks who would go on to become leader of the new Order.

"Master Yoda said as much," Mara argued the most fiercely. "He and the others - Kenobi, Jarrus, Tano - they all remember the Order before the Purges. They'd all be trying to bring back what was, not accepting that so much will need to change."

From there, the debate moved on to whether or not the 'New Order' would be open to love and marriage for its members, something that the Skywalkers were quick to remove themselves from. While both saw it as a good thing, neither wanted to have to admit to the other students that such a thing was what led to their father turning to the Dark Side. They were the only ones besides the Jedi masters who knew Anakin Skywalker and Darth Vader were one and the same - and the twins had no inclination to change that any time soon.

-T&T-

"Don't get me wrong, the luxury is pretty nice," Leia admitted as she and Luke sprawled across the couches in the sitting room of their new ship. "But after a lifetime of living in one flying scrapheap after another, it keeps weirding me out."

"I know!" Her brother exclaimed. "I woke up expecting to see stained walls and rickety mechanics, but everything here is in pristine condition!"

"Oh, quit your complaining," Ahsoka chuckled as she sauntered into the room, with only the barest hint of a tell-tale limp, leftover from her injuries gained over a year before. "I like having a fully functioning autopilot, thank you very much."

"You've still left Artoo in the cockpit though, right?"

"Of course. I said I like it, not that I'm going to rely solely on it."

The oddball family had left a secret rendezvous of the Rebel Alliance's leadership the day before, one hidden within the excuse of Bail Organa throwing a birthday party for his adopted son. Being only a couple of years older than the new thirteen year old, Luke and Leia had the perfect excuse for attending, posing as nobility with Ahsoka as their accompanying caretaker.

Part of the disguise, though, was arriving and leaving from the royal estate in a suitably fancy ship, one that Bail had supplied beforehand - and then insisted the Jedi keep after the meeting was over with. When Ahsoka attempted to turn him down, the man pointed out that they'd be able to sell it later on for a good sum of credits, and that in the meantime the fast cruise ship would be a more comfortable home than anything else they'd used in recent years.

She conceded the point, and accepted.

Which made it all the more ironic that none of them could quite get used to the fancy vessel. Well, none aside from C-3PO. The protocol droid was enjoying his new surroundings quite thoroughly, since apparently this level of luxury was what he'd become accustomed to during the years spent serving Padme.

The others figured that they'd adjust as time went on.

But, that was before they were forcefully dragged out of hyperspace, and attacked by pirates. Ahsoka reacted with her usual speed, ordering Leia to send a distress message while Luke got the droids out of harm's way, before grabbing her lightsabers and dashing to where the attackers were cutting through their airlock.

Blaster fire erupted once the opening was made, which Ahsoka deflected back towards the shooters. A pair of pirates, one a Rhodian female and the other a human male, managed to slip inside, but froze when they registered the lightsabers being wielded against them.

"Padawan Tano?"


	7. Act 2 Chapter 4

_A/N: I apologize deeply for the unexpected delay, folks, but there is a compilation of good reasons for it:_

 _-I live in central Texas. It is currently summer here, with a heat index in triple digits most days._

 _-We do not have functioning air conditioning in my house._

 _-My grandmother is not to be left alone for longer than absolutely necessary in this house._

 _-My truck has a fully operational air conditioning unit with coolant and everything, while my mother's does not. So, she borrows my truck. Frequently._

 _-Riding my bike to the library or my dad's apartment in order to use the internet tends to be awkwardly timed or damn near impossible._

 _All of these add up to a miserable existence for myself at the moment, hence why I've not been online much lately. The addition of my phone going on the fritz doesn't help any, either. But! There is a possibility for improvement in the coming weeks, which I may or may not tell you about with the next update. Depends on how many people actually READ these long-winded author's notes of mine... Anywho. Please enjoy the explanation for the last chapter's cliffhanger (again, congrats to the people who guessed correctly!), and don't shoot me over the ending of this one._

 _-Tri_

Act II

Chapter 4

"Aunt 'Soka! We got a transmission from the _Lost Saber!"_ Luke's yell rebounded through the clanky old freighter, summoning Ahsoka from the main cargo hold to the cockpit.

"How'd their last mission go?"

"Zatt reports a hundred percent success - the supplies were all retrieved with minimal damage, the Imps taken down before they could get off a call for help, and our guys only suffered two injuries." The sixteen year old twisted around to shoot a devious grin at his aunt. "Gungi took a shot to the leg during the fight, but Petro got his 'battle wound' a bit differently - apparently he walked into a wall while giving orders and earned himself a concussion from the fall."

"Figures," Ahsoka snorted. "Tell Katooni great job, and express our sympathies for dealing with Petro's whining after this. And remind them that this is their last Alliance mission for a while, Master Yoda's expecting them on Dagobah for the Knight Trials soon."

"Right-oh."

It had been an unexpected surprise to encounter the pirate crew of former Jedi younglings the previous year, one that sent Ahsoka into tears of joy at the time. She'd taken the group on their expedition for kyber crystals more than a decade and a half earlier, and was beyond ecstatic to find the group alive and well. There was markedly less enthusiasm over their having taken shelter with the pirate Hondo Ohnaka, but eventually the Togruta woman let the issue go.

Luke still recalled how baffled he and Leia were to see their aunt embracing half a dozen pirates who'd been attacking them just minutes before, at least until the names and stories started flying. Then the twins simply settled into observation mode, absorbing as many interesting details as they could.

From that reunion came another boon, in the pirate crew taking up their Jedi status again by joining forces with the Alliance and training with Obi-wan in between running missions. They weren't as adept with the Force as even the Skywalker twins, but made up for that with all the experience earned from their time in the piracy business. Katooni and Petro, the co-leaders of the group, were unparalleled fighters, while Byph and Gungi were intimidating with both their sheer size and battle prowess. Zatt had honed his splicing and technological skills over the years, while Ganoodi could take a ship at top speed through an asteroid field and barely pick up a single scratch.

All of which, of course, made them highly sought after for missions of the utmost importance.

"I can't wait for the Enclave meeting," Luke sighed, leaning back in the chair. Since helping the crippled Master Plo Koon relocate to Dagobah, all the Jedi had taken to coming together on the swamp planet at least once a year in order to celebrate their continued survival and make plans for the ever-growing Order. Almost forty younglings now lived in the Enclave, with others scattered through the ranks of the Alliance. Yoda wanted to complete the training of the crew of the _Lost Saber_ so that he could officially Knight them, and allow the six to take on Padawans of their own, lessening his, Obi-wan and Plo Koon's work.

"You just say that because you want to see Mara again." Leia sauntered through the doorway, grinning at her twin as he scowled.

"I do not," the youth grumbled.

"Don't want to see her? Well, won't that be a surprise when I tell-"

"No! I do- but that's not- Leia!"

Ahsoka merely looked on with a smile as her kids descended into yet another teasing argument. Some things, it seemed, never changed.

-T&T-

"This is a terrible idea!" The seventeen year old hissed to his companion.

"Don't be such a worry-wart, Sky One and I do this all the time."

"Yeah, but you've also known these people since you were kids! _You_ won't be eviscerated, but _I_ might!"

"Shut up, Spectre Four, here they come!"

"And why are we using our code-names anyway, that's just- ack!" Ezra's complaint was cut off as Leia yanked him to the ground behind the supply crate, the incoming footsteps of their targets getting closer. As soon as they were in range, the girl readied her projectile, fellow Padawan reluctantly doing the same.

"Now!" They both leapt to their feet, arms poised to throw the simple paint bombs. Instead, each received a faceful of the same weapon, turning Leia lime green and Ezra neon pink.

"Ha! That ought to show you runts who's tops around here!" Jesse and the other clones behind him all laughed, delighted in being able to turn the tables on their would-be prankers.

Wiping paint from her eyes, Leia glowered. There was only one person who had the advance knowledge needed to turn them in... "I'm going to _kill_ Luke."

-T&T-

At first, the stormtroopers and Imperial officers merely laughed when a dozen youths showed up in a line across the road. If teenagers were the best the rebels could send to liberate a high profile prisoner, then the Empire truly would triumph within a year. Held within their midst, bruised and bloodied, restrained by manacles and Force-suppressants alike, Ahsoka's lips twitched into a smile that didn't reach her eyes.

What followed next was madness.

Those 'non-imposing' youths all ignited lightsaber blades, illuminating their determined expressions in shades of blue and green, purple and gold. Then a pair in the center, a human boy and girl among the oldest of the lot, gave the signal to attack. The entire group bounded forward, their weapons sizzling through the night air. Blasters were fired in a panic, but did no good. Weapons, armor, flesh and bone were cut through with equal impunity, leaving behind chaos and screaming.

None but a single Imperial survived.

While the rest of the younglings freed their captured elder, one of the two leaders grasped the officer's torn jacket, pulling him up off the ground to his knees.

"You're going to deliver a message for us," the boy said casually despite his hard gaze. "No longer will Jedi hide in the shadows. Tell Vader and his False Emperor, the Skywalker twins are bringing back balance to the Force. And we won't stop until freedom has been restored to this galaxy."

 _End Act II_

 _There will be another, two week intermission before the commencement of Act III, which will pick up with Tano and Twins arriving on, funnily enough, Tatooine of all planets..._


	8. Act 3 Chapter 1

_A Note before we begin:_

 _Congratulations to all the readers that have made it this far! We'll now be entering familiar territory seen through new eyes, and I hope it proves entertaining for each and every one of you. I'll admit, there are quite a few things that remain the same, but others that go very differently, and you folks might be surprised by the altered routes and destinations._

 _So, strap in, and enjoy the ride!_

 _-Triscribe_

Act III - Hope Revealed

Chapter 1

Luke grimaced as the ship rattled from another hit. Normally, their oddball little family was able to do away with or at the very least lose whatever bounty hunters occasionally spotted and recognized them. This one, however, had apparently managed to attach a tracking device to their current ship, keeping close no matter how many hyperspace jumps Ahsoka made.

Now, nearly out of fuel, the pair of spacecraft fought a dangerous duel as they got closer and closer to the surface of Tatooine. The hunter was merely trying to disable their ship and force the Jedi to surrender, but as the fight went on it seemed more and more likely that they'd end up crashing on the desert planet.

Considering the potential horrors that awaited them as prisoners of the Empire, Luke figured he'd rather go down in a ball of flame and shrapnel.

Leia caught the tail end of that thought, and sent him the mental equivalent of a slap upside the head. _We'll get out of this, you dork. Don't be so pessimistic._

 _Yes, because that's so easy when we're flying on fumes, plus a hunter closing in with the intent of handing us over to Vader._ Luke rolled his eyes, and could sense his sister doing the same from where she sat in the co-pilot's seat beside their aunt. As for the other Skywalker, he'd been relegated to making sure all their supplies, as well as Threepio and Artoo, were strapped down just in case of an emergency landing - which was looking more and more likely by the second...

-T&T-

"Well," Ahsoka sighed as she surveyed the crashed hulk of their ship. "That could have been worse."

The twins blinked at her in dual incredulity.

"Don't get me wrong, it could have gone a lot better, too. But we blew up the hunter, none of us are seriously hurt, and believe it or not, we're actually pretty close to some people who'll hopefully be inclined to give us a helping hand."

"Oh, really." Leia's voice was completely deadpan, not betraying a hint of the hysteria threatening to bubble up. "And just who would that be?"

"Family of yours, as a matter of fact." Before either of the nineteen year olds could question what she meant, their guardian twirled about and set off into the desert. Artoo beeped cheerfully and rolled after, Threepio a step behind him muttering about sand clogging up his circuitry.

Luke leaned over to mutter in his sister's ear. "Think she bumped her head during the crash?"

"I hope not. I _really_ hope not." And with that, the twins each picked up a bag of salvaged supplies and personal belongings, trailing after their crazy aunt and droids.

The three hour walk through the desert wasn't _too_ terrible, as they'd fortunately arrived during the planet's evening hours. Ahsoka even found herself in a storytelling mood, bringing up the first time she'd ever come to Tatooine with her Master, shortly after becoming his Padawan. Tales about their father had become few and far between in recent years, so the twins couldn't be anything other than pleased with the reminiscing. Even Threepio and Artoo got into it - the protocol droid reluctantly convinced to talk of Anakin's early efforts to put him together while still living on the desert world, followed by the astromech cheerfully recounting the craziness of his inaugural flight over Naboo with the boy.

And so, despite the troubles that had brought them there, everyone was in a good mood by the time they arrived at Ahsoka's intended destination - a little moisture farm she called the Lars homestead.

The middle aged woman who opened up the door frowned at them in confusion, her eyes lingering slightly on Luke before she addressed the Togruta. "Can I help you...?"

"Beru Lars, yes?" Ahsoka asked with a gentle smile. "You don't know me, but my name is Ahsoka Tano, and I was Anakin Skywalker's apprentice in the Clone Wars." Beru's eyes widened, her jaw working silently for a moment before she managed to stutter out an invitation for them to come in.

Both the twins gave her grateful smiles as they slipped past, and Artoo offered up a suitably bright chirp to convey his appreciation too.

Inside, a blonde girl in her early teens was working on reassembling an old, bulky laser cutter. She paused when the odd group of people and droids entered the living room, her eyes never leaving them even as she turned her head to call out for someone else in the house.

"Daaad! Mom just let a bunch of strangers in!" A muffled thump came out of one of the connected rooms, and a moment later a thick-set man with salt and pepper hair appeared, alarmed.

"Beru-?"

"It's fine, Owen, they aren't Imperials." Beru paused as she was walking towards him, sending a questioning glance at the Togruta. "At least, I assumed not."

"You assumed correctly," came the reassurance. "We've been hiding from the Empire since its creation. Our ship was shot down by a bounty hunter earlier today, and I was hoping you folks would be able to give us a ride to the nearest public holonet station."

Owen and Beru exchanged looks, clearly having a silent conversation even without the use of the Force. "...I think it'd be a fair trade to say we'll help, in exchange for an explanation." The male of the Lars family said after a minute. Ahsoka nodded.

"A trade it is then."

As the Togruta took a seat and started talking, her charges made their way over to the still stunned girl seated on the couch. Leia smiled brightly at her, while Luke's attention was drawn to the tool currently lying in pieces on her lap.

"Are you just cleaning that, or looking to make it function better?" He asked in a low voice, so as to avoid interrupting Ahsoka.

"Well, I started out just cleaning," the girl explained slowly. "But then I noticed the wires from the power core to the blade emitter were getting frayed, so now I'm trying to re-arrange the internals to keep them from breaking like that later."

"Not a half bad idea." Luke nodded approvingly. "Mind if I...?"

"Sure, knock yourself out." She handed over the main components, happy to allow the older teen his chance at fiddling.

"I'm Leia, by the way. And that's Luke."

"Shmi. So... Is Miss Tano a Jedi?"

"She sure is!" Luke grinned.

"And... Are _you_ Jedi, too?"

"That we are," Leia said. "Like our father before us."

"Who was he?"

"Anakin Skywalker, Aunt 'Soka's Master in the Clone Wars." Both twins noted how Shmi's eyebrows shot up.

"I've heard that name before! Mom mentioned that he was Dad's step-brother!"

Luke's jaw dropped while Leia's eyebrows went up. "R-really?"

The younger teen nodded enthusiastically. "His mother, Shmi Skywalker, is who I'm named after. She was my Grandad's second wife before she died. Didn't you know?"

"It... certainly wasn't mentioned. At least, _I_ don't remember hearing that we had family on Tatooine." Luke shot a bewildered glance at his sister, who seemed just as thrown off as he was.

"That's because Obi-wan only mentioned it to _me_ at the last Enclave Gathering." All three of them looked up to see Ahsoka approaching from the kitchen, where Beru and Owen were still talking. "I forgot to tell you two then, but remembered just in time to direct our last hyperspace jump in this direction."

"Then, I guess the question now is whether or not that was a good decision."

"Sure it is!" Shmi protested Luke's mumbled statement. "Mom and Dad won't turn away family!"

"That we won't," the man of the house himself said, joining them. "I'm not interested in bringing Imperial attention down on our heads, but the least we can do is give you a place to stay until your people come for you."

"Thank you, Owen. I promise, we won't be any trouble at all."

"Hmph. I might not have known Anakin for very long, but even I'm aware of some of the insanity he got into as a Jedi - and I've no doubt his student and children will be just the same." He leveled a warning glare at each of them. "So all I ask is that you hold off on any dangerous impulses until _after_ you leave. Alright?"

"Of course."

"Good. Then, tomorrow morning, I'll take you into Anchorhead to make your call. The younglings can stay here, and see about making themselves useful."

-T&T-

Obi-wan sighed as he closed down the communication with Ahsoka. Tatooine - why did they have to end up on _Tatooine_ of all places? There were too many memories attached to that planet that he didn't need or want to become drawn into yet again.

Regardless, he now had to arrange for transport to the desert world that wouldn't attract suspicion. Mentally reviewing the possibilities, Obi-wan paused with a thoughtful frown as one in particular stood out to him: Han Solo. The smuggler and his wookiee companion had proven trustworthy in the past, and over the last six years would occasionally charge the Alliance a cheaper than normal cost for services rendered. Obi-wan long suspected it was more due to Chewbacca's friendship with Ahsoka than Solo's generous heart.

All that, though, just meant that they'd likely be willing to make the trip to Tatooine to pick up the Togruta woman and her charges, and the smugglers would hardly stand out in Mos Eisley.

Focused on his plan, Obi-wan went ahead and started formulating a message to transmit to the _Millennium Falcon._ The sooner he could finish, the sooner he'd be able to check in with the courier who was ferrying stolen plans for the Death Star back to the Rebel Alliance. Her ship was supposed to have departed from Coruscant that morning, but as of yet, there'd been no word, which had the Jedi Master currently working on Alderaan worried...


	9. Act 3 Chapter 2

Act III

Chapter 2

When he first listened to the recorded message from Kenobi, Han was severely tempted to delete it and never mention the thing to Chewie. His first mate was terrific to work with most of the time, but always threw common sense out the airlock whenever that Togruta and her twin charges were involved.

Hand hovering over the Erase option, the man grimaced.

"Chewie! As soon as we drop this stuff off on Christophis, we've got a job to head to on Tatooine!"

Maybe Han was going soft around those Jedi too...

-T&T-

Luke whistled when he first saw Beggar's Canyon, and instantly asked Shmi if flying through it would violate her father's rule of no shenanigans. The fifteen year old laughed, and started telling the twins about some of the contests she and the local youths had done, competing to see who could go fastest through the mix of dangerous walls and rock formations.

"Biggs was the best out of us all, but he left a couple years ago." She said, a bit sadly. "The plan was to sign up at the Imperial Academy and learn to fly properly, before defecting to the rebellion."

Leia raised an eyebrow. "Did he make it?"

"Dunno. No one's heard from him since he left."

They left the subject behind when Shmi brought out her Skyhopper, and the trio spent the rest of that afternoon making one run after another through the canyon. At first, the Tatooine native had the advantage of experience, but her fastest time was soon beaten out by the twins. Luke ended up being the ultimate winner, but true to form didn't hold it over the girls for more than a few minutes.

After the fun was over, they returned back to the farm, where Ahsoka had spent the latter half of the day helping Owen repair and upgrade various pieces of machinery with the odds and ends her family scavenged from their ship when it crashed. Beru had dinner waiting for everyone, and the evening passed pleasantly enough. Normally, the three Jedi would spend the time before bed meditating or practicing their lightsaber katas, but in deference to their hosts instead spent those few hours recounting stories of their adventures. Again, mentions of others in the secret Order or Alliance were kept to a minimum, but they still had plenty of tales in store that could be entertaining for the family that never went farther than Anchorhead.

-T&T-

Ahsoka awoke in the middle of the night, the Force practically shouting at her to get up. Instantly alert, she cast her senses out, and realized a large group of people were approaching the homestead.

"Stormtroopers!" She barked, causing the twins to leap up from their sleeping mats. Aware of how this went, from years of practice drills as well as the real thing, Luke began rolling up the mats while Leia grabbed their bags. Threepio and Artoo powered up as the various Lars' stumbled out from their bedrooms, confused and still half-asleep.

"What is it? What's going on?" Owen asked blearily, rubbing at his eyes.

"A group of ten stormtroopers are on their way here, no more than six miles out," Ahsoka told him. That woke the man up like a slap to the face.

"How did they know you were here?!"

"I don't know, Owen." Remaining calm as she helped the twins pack, Ahsoka's mind was working furiously. "It's possible my transmission was intercepted, or perhaps whatever aid Obi-wan got for us accidentally gave away our position. What I do know, however, is that we all need to get out of here."

"Not all of us," Beru said softly. "Shmi, go get your overnight bag, take clothing and a few things you can't bear to lose. I'll pack up enough food and water for you all to last a few days."

"Mom...?"

"Beru's right. Shmi has to go with you, but we'll remain here, distract the troopers to buy you more time. If it turns out to just be a routine inspection, then we can say she's spending the night at a friend's house, and never mention the three of you."

"And if not?" Even as she asked the question, though, Ahsoka knew what Owen's response would be - that he would die before putting the Jedi, and by extension his daughter, at risk.

As soon as the scared girl returned from her room, knapsack clutched tightly in her hands, she shared a brief, tight embrace with her parents. Then she, Ahsoka, the twins and the droids loaded up in her speeder, and took off in the direction of the Jundland wastes.

Owen and Beru went back inside, waiting for the arrival of the Imperials.

-T&T-

The bounty hunter had been impatient, Vader once again mused. Sending a message to the _Executor_ while she was still in pursuit of Tano and the Skywalker twins, rather than after their successful capture, was arrogant enough that the Sith lord wanted to strangle the woman from half a galaxy away.

Then her transmission signal was terminated, last coming from a set of coordinates all too familiar to Vader.

He immediately sent orders to the Imperial Garrison on Tatooine, ordering them to locate the hunter's ship (or the wreckage of) and track down her quarry. A report came back two days later that Tano's ship was also found, devoid of inhabitants. Patrols of stormtroopers were sent out to all nearby habitations searching for the Jedi, and removing anyone who didn't provide instant and complete cooperation.

That was how Vader learned of the deaths of Owen and Beru Lars, and the Missing status of their daughter Shmi. The knowledge very nearly sent him on an unpleasant walk through old memories, something that never ended well.

Instead, he threw himself into the task of organizing checkpoints at every spaceport on the miserable desert planet, with orders to search for and arrest any who resembled Tano and her twin padawans. Sadly, he was unaware that in focusing so on departures from Tatooine, a certain smuggler's ship was able to land with virtually no opposition at all.

-T&T-

It took Han almost three days to find the Jedi, something he was less than enthused about. There was a reason he preferred living on a ship, where the atmosphere controls were simple to regulate. And since he'd left Chewie behind to safeguard the _Falcon,_ that meant Han had to search through the sun-scorched desert by himself.

He told himself very sternally that the only reason he smiled with relief upon spotting Leia was because he could finally get back to said air-conditioned ship.

Still, it was quite nice to receive a joyful hug from the nineteen year old as soon as she reached him, and Han knew he'd be lying if he said it wasn't a weight off his shoulders to see her and the others whole and healthy - even if there was a despondent, pale-haired girl who remained glued to Ahsoka's side. It was quite a bit depressing to learn that she'd lost her home and parents because of Imperials hunting for the Jedi, even to one with as thick a skin as the smuggler.

"Well, are we going to hang around here another night, or get going?" Luke was the one to ask the inevitable question, causing his aunt to frown worriedly.

"We know that the Empire is aware we're here, or at least that there are Jedi present. What security are we going to be facing at the city, Han?"

"Chewie and I didn't see much coming in, but I'm betting there'll be a whole lot more going out."

"We'll want disguises, then."

The troopers standing at one of the entrances to the Mos Eisley spaceport that evening were on guard for a middle-aged Togruta accompanied by a pair of humans in their late teens. Amidst the other traffic, their eyes passed right over a pair of girls talking in Huttese being trailed by a grey protocol droid, followed twenty minutes later by a brown and blue astromech beside a young man with subtle tattoos crossing his face, and a further half hour after that by a man close to thirty escorting some sort of old crone wrapped in layers of ragged sackcloth.

The only reason Chewbacca recognized any of these people as they approached the _Millennium Falcon_ was thanks to their scents. Leia embraced him before introducing Shmi, whereas upon his arrival Luke promptly wiped away the face paint and helped the droids clean themselves off as well. Han went straight to the cockpit to prepare for their departure, while Ahsoka took on the lengthy task of removing the multiple layers of cloth that had altered her shape and hidden her features.

"Alright, now who's ready to get off this ball of dust?"

"We need to figure out a destination first, Solo-"

"We've already got one!" The smuggler told them. "When old Kenobi got in touch with me, he said that he'd arrange for a new ship to be waiting for you on Naboo."

"Well then, what are we waiting for?"


	10. Act 3 Chapter 3

Act III

Chapter 3

Naboo was gone.

Shmi had been looking forward to seeing the homeworld of her cousins' mother, a world of lakes and greenery, but now she never would. Instead of a healthy planet appearing in the _Falcon's_ viewport, there was a massive rubble field.

While they were still in hyperspace, the three Jedi had sensed something terrible happening, describing the event as a hundred thousand voices crying out in fear before being suddenly silenced. Ahsoka was left deeply shaken by the disturbance left in the Force, while the twins each had to be helped to sit before they fell over. It was a moment that opened Shmi's eyes to the downside of being a Force sensitive, and changed her mind over wishing she had such power too.

"What the kriff did this?" Han murmured, staring at the planet's remnants with wide, worried eyes.

"The new Imperial superweapon." Ahsoka practically growled out her answer. "There have been rumors for years now that they were building something big, that would pose a threat to the galaxy at large. One of our spies on Coruscant was supposed to be bringing schematics for it to the Alliance High Command, so we could make a plan to destroy it."

"Your spy wouldn't happen to have been someone from Naboo, now would they?"

"Senator Pooja Naberrie."

"She's another cousin, on Mom's side," Leia whispered to Shmi, eyes never leaving the viewport. "And her sister, Ryoo, has two kids of her own..."

"Do, do you think they were off-world when- when it happened?"

"I don't know."

"Uh, guys?" Luke attracted everyone's attention, gesturing to a pale object that was swiftly growing closer. "Please tell me I'm imagining things, and that that really is just a moon."

"No such luck, kiddo..."

Even as Han attempted to steer them away, to take the _Falcon_ back into hyperspace, the entire ship was caught in a tractor beam, and steadily pulled towards the massive space station.

-T&T-

Vader felt them. It was only for an instant, just before their shields came up full strength, but he definitely felt them.

His children were close. And his former Padawan with them.

Somehow, the Jedi had managed to get off Tatooine, and wound up practically delivering themselves straight into his grasp. It was an act of the Force, he knew, reuniting father and children nearly ten years after their first meeting.

Changing direction mid-stride, Vader made a beeline for the hangar bay where his underling reported a Corellian freighter being brought in for inspection. He sent out orders for all nearby troopers to report to the bay, weapons set to max stunning power. As soon as the ship was surrounded, and the room sealed, the Sith activated his lightsaber.

"Jedi!" He bellowed, synthetic voice booming throughout the bay. "You will surrender, or you will be destroyed without leaving that ship." When there was no reply from the vessel, he ordered at the same volume for one group of troopers to prepare their grenades.

Then, the ramp lowered, and Ahsoka Tano came down.

She'd aged since he last saw her. The armor had changed as well, likely swapped out as older pieces were damaged in fights. But the expression of fierce defiance was just as strong as ever.

"Vader," she said evenly.

"Tano," he returned. "You will hand over your lightsabers and surrender. As will the younglings in the ship behind you."

Her eyes narrowed. "What makes you think there's anyone else here?"

"Don't try to deny it, I _felt_ them."

Tano continued to glare at him, ignoring the gathered stormtroopers, but nonetheless sent a signal through the Force. From within the ship emerged two more figures, and Vader drank in the sight of his children.

The boy, referred to in intelligence reports as Sky One, had begun to develop a wiry physique. His hair was grown out, only a bit shorter than the style his father had worn in the Clone Wars, and he wore a loose outfit, clothes ideal for quick movement. The girl, Sky Two, was the same height and and had a similar, lean build. She wore a single piece jumpsuit of the same style as her brother, with long hair bound into a braid that hung past her shoulder blades.

Neither looked worried. Instead, they had the same expression as Tano - aware that they were in dire straits, but clinging grimly to their defiance.

Dismissing this detail, Vader simply let his emotions swell at having his flesh and blood offspring finally within his grasp.

"Sergeant!" He barked, summoning the four Jedi lightsabers and handing them off to his closest troopers. "Remove Tano to the detention cells, and place Force-suppressant binders on her. You three will escort the younglings to my office immediately." With that, he swung about and departed from the hangar, exultant as the pair of bright Force signatures followed after him.

The Sith lord never even bothered to consider whether there would be more life forms hidden aboard the ship...

-T&T-

"Alright," Han whispered as he started stripping the armor off one of the stormtroopers they'd knocked out. "I'm gonna get up to the control booth so Artoo can hack into this place, get me the floorplan, and then I'll go rescue those idiots and we'll get the kriff out of here-"

"We're not gonna go any place if that tractor beam isn't taken out," Shmi hissed back.

"And just how do you suggest we handle that, then?"

"Once Artooie gets directions for us, you go free the Jedi and I'll handle the beam's generator or whatever else powers it."

"Excuse me?! No offense, kid, but I'm not letting you set foot off this ship-"

"We can pretend that I'm your prisoner! And it'll have to be me over Chewbacca, because he needs to be here ready to take off as soon as we all get back."

Torn, Han eyed her for a moment, before reluctantly nodding.

-T&T-

 _Scale of one to ten, how much trouble are we in right now?_

 _Recalibrate your scale. This is so far off the top I don't think we HAVE a measurement for it._ Leia had to suppress her snort at Luke's answer, instead focusing on the swish of the black cape a few steps ahead of them.

It was a good ten minutes before they arrived at Vader's intended destination (a hike which included traversing a dozen halls and one very awkward elevator ride). Once at the spacious office, the Sith dismissed his stormtrooper guards and locked the doors.

The twins exchanged wary glances.

Vader turned back to face them, and paused. His triumphant Force signature suddenly turned uneasy, before instantly morphing again into steady determination. "So. After all this time, the younglings have finally arrived at their rightful place."

Leia choked, and Luke struggled to bite back a startled laugh. "Ah- sorry, what?"

The Sith seemed taken aback by their responses, but forged ahead anyway. "Soon, I will begin teaching you both the true power of the Force. We will make up for all the years Tano has kept you away from me-" He cut himself off, realizing that both twins were staring at him with open amusement.

"Well, Vader, I never knew you had such a great sense of humor." Leia kicked her brother's shin for his comment, but wasn't able to hold back a snicker herself.

"You do not know," Vader suddenly spoke, his anger rising in the Force. "Tano never told you that-"

"That you were once the man called Anakin Skywalker? No, she didn't tell us. We figured that out for ourselves years ago."

"Then why have you continued to willingly hide from me, my children?"

Luke blinked at him. "Because you _aren't_ a Skywalker anymore. The Jedi knight, the hero of our bedtime stories died years ago, that much was true."

"Much as you'd like to pretend to be, Vader - you are not a member of our family." Leia's words had both the youths returning to their earlier, stoic expressions, as the Sith stared them down.

"...I can see you will need to be convinced." He growled. "You two will remain in separate cells until such time that you realize I am the only Master in the ways of the Force that you were ever destined to have." The man started to approach the door and recall the stormtroopers, but froze at Luke's quiet statement.

"Aunt 'Soka has always said she was never teaching us as our Jedi Master, but as our loving aunt."

Leia picked up the thread. "And until such time as you remember what it is to love, we won't learn from you, or leave those cells."

Each of them could feel _something_ stir in Vader at that, but he still ordered the guards to escort them to separate cell blocks.


	11. Act 3 Chapter 4

Act III

Chapter 4

Neither twin spoke or put up a fuss as they were escorted away from one another, but gripped onto their Force bond as fiercely as possible up until the moment the suppressant binders were placed upon them. Then Leia felt a loss, a deprivation the likes of which she'd never experienced before. It was as though everything around her had suddenly gone from color to shades of black and white, sight and sound and smell muffled. The disruption nearly sent her to her knees, but the nineteen year old grimly held on to what strength she had left.

A pair of stormtroopers escorted her to another elevator, gripping her upper arms hard enough to bruise. Leia doubted they would have dared to lay a hand on her were it not for the Force-suppressors.

She used the quiet of the elevator compartment to try and center herself, calling on the meditation techniques that her brother always flowed into so easily.

Any progress made was instantly swept away when the door panel slid aside to reveal absolute chaos. A single stormtrooper stood over the room's ravaged console, dead guards and officers scattered about. He looked at them, clearly surprised.

"Uh..."

Leia took the opportunity to throw herself bodily into the trooper on her left, grabbing his weapon and firing it in a killing shot. Before the other one had time to react, the renegade took him down as well. Han then pulled off his helmet, staring at her in alarm.

"Leia, are you-"

"Get these things off me," she croaked, holding up her forearms to display the specialized binders. Han immediately hurried over, fumbling in his haste to unlock the restraints. "Where are the others?"

"Well, that crazy kid cousin of yours and Artoo went to turn off the tractor beam's main generator, Chewie's waiting at the ship with Threepio, and I came here to get your aunt. Where's Luke?"

"Another cell block. Vader wanted to separate us."

"Oh, joy. Now we'll have to retrieve him, too."

"Ahsoka first-"

"I know, I know, I'm not nearly stupid enough to go wandering around a space station this size without a fully trained Jedi on hand, thank you very much."

"Well, so long as we're clear on the matter..."

A minute later, it was a moot point, as a squad of stormtroopers came up the elevator and started firing. Han held them off to let Leia open the correct cell, removing Ahsoka's own suppressors. Before anything else, the elder Jedi gave her charge a quick hug around the shoulders and a longer one through the Force. Then they grabbed up blasters stolen from the previously downed guards and began shooting as well.

"I hate to say it, but we aren't making much progress!" Ahsoka called out.

"So I noticed, oh great Jedi Master, so what do you suggest?" Han snapped back.

"First of all, I'm only a Jedi Knight - and second, Solo, I suggest you take a step to your right."

"Huh-?" The man yelped as Ahsoka shot out a grate beside his shins, nearly falling over into enemy blaster fire. "Hey! What's the big idea!"

"Leia, dear, after you." The youth gave her aunt an aggrieved look, but nonetheless jumped across the corridor and through the newly made opening. "Han, you next."

"Me next _what_?! Do you even have any idea where that thing goes?!"

"No, but it's bound to be better than up here." Grumbling under his breath, Han had to concede the point, diving headfirst into the grate with a war cry. Ahsoka continued shooting at the troopers for a few moments further, then leapt after him.

-T&T-

Peering around a corner, Shmi anxiously gripped the blaster Han had given her back aboard the _Falcon._ She waited until the squad of stormtroopers had gone on, then hurried to the next shadowed alcove, Artoo hot on her heels. This sneaking around was driving her crazy, but every time the girl wanted to just curl up into a ball and stay there, she reminded herself of what tortures Ahsoka and the twins would be doomed to endure if they didn't all escape. Artoo was also able to beep the occasional encouragement, something Shmi loved him for.

Soon enough, they reached their target - one of the generators that powered the tractor beam, which Shmi was able to locate the controls of and deactivate. With their escape route off the space station clear once again, all that remained was for her and the droid to return back to the ship.

Except, while en route, one of the pairs of stormtroopers that went past had Luke walking between them.

Shmi bit her lip, glanced about at the handful of other Imperial personnel in the hallway, and took aim. Panicked shouts rang out as she began to fire, needing three blaster bolts to take down Luke's guards. The older youth immediately grabbed up one of the discarded weapons, using it to ward away others in the hall who were armed.

"Luke! Over here!" Artoo squealed out a binary warning along with Shmi's cry, causing the Jedi to duck a shot coming from behind him. Luke quickly made his way over with Shmi covering him. The binders on his forearms were quickly unlocked by Artoo, getting a sigh of relief from the boy.

"What are you two doing out here?" He asked, rising to his feet and firing alongside his cousin.

"We had to sabotage the tractor beam - it's done now, so we were going back to the ship. Where's Leia?"

"Don't know. Different cell block than the one I was heading to, at any rate. Do you know about Aunt 'Soka?"

"Han went to get her."

"Oh, that makes me feel a lot better..."

"He was disguised in a trooper's uniform! Perfectly safe!"

"And you decided not to do the same?"

"I was a bit short for it." They shared a strained chuckle, moving down the hall away from those shooting at them until Artoo got a blast door closed. Then the cousins took a moment to simply breathe.

"Reeeally starting to wish I had my saber right about now..." Luke's gaze snapped to Artoo when the droid starting chirping. "You do? Where?" More beeps and clicks caused the youth to gain a wide grin, which Shmi smiled at the sight of.

"I guess this just got turned into a lightsaber rescue mission?"

"You guess correctly. Come on, Artoo says they're just a couple corridors over from here."

-T&T-

"No offence, Aunt 'Soka, but this was not one of your better ideas."

"I'm with the kid on this one, lady."

Ahsoka rolled her eyes at the humans, not deigning to answer as she stood up off the trash pile. Foul, tepid water immediately soaked her feet and shins, but the Jedi paid it no mind. She strode straight to the door and pushed on it. When physical strength did nothing, she called upon the Force. Magnetic sealing was strong, but a Jedi's will was stronger. The heavy door was just beginning to give under the pressure of her pushing when there came a startled shout and splash from behind her.

"HAN!"

-T&T-

With Artoo sealing certain blast doors parallel to their route, Luke and Shmi were able to make it to the weapons storage room fairly quickly and with minimal shooting. Getting in was also fast, as the door wasn't locked, and their good fortune held up again when the four lightsabers were found sitting innocently on the first table inside.

Leaving was another matter.

No less than ten stormtroopers were charging down the corridor towards them as the youths stepped back out, so they did the sensible thing, and ran in the other direction. The Jedi was able to deflect some blaster fire back towards their enemies, giving the trio the chance to put some distance between themselves at the troopers.

Then they came upon a gaping chasm of a room, and in shooting the control panel to seal the door behind them Shmi managed to simultaneously destroy the bridge operators.

"Sorry!" She apologized, ducking to avoid fire from troopers on a higher ledge. Luke didn't bother to respond, instead reaching into the Force as his cousin shot back.

"Shmi, I'm going to need you to trust me now."

"Why? What are you pla-nIIIINNNGG!" Her question became a scream as the girl found herself picked up and hurled through the air, as if by a huge invisible hand. She landed on the opposite bridge extension less than gracefully, but intact. Luke took a Force-enhanced leap of his own, followed by Artoo with his rocket propulsion jets.

"You alright?" He asked, helping Shmi back to her feet.

"Please warn me the next time we're gonna do something that crazy..."

Luke chuckled at her. "I did tell you to trust me. Leia always says that's a sure sign I'm about to pull something that's less than sane."

"Now you tell me..."

Artoo warbled warningly, and the three of them quickly moved off once again. Through the maze of corridors they ran, heading in the vague direction from which Luke could sense his twin and aunt, also released of their bonds.

But, halfway there, he instead sensed Vader's dark presence, making its way towards the hangar. "Okay, Shmi, time for something else that's monumentally stupid. You and Artoo keep going, I need to make a detour."

"What? Why? What are you doing now?" Shmi's eyes widened as Luke handed her Leia's lightsaber and one of Ahsoka's, hanging onto his own and the other white one as well.

"Rejoin the others or head to the ship, whichever you can do first." He ordered her. "I need to ward off the one thing that could still cause us trouble at this point."

"Oh." She gulped, before springing forward to grasp him in a tight hug. "For luck."

Luke smiled, ruffling her hair before nudging the younger teen on her way. "Thanks, though I hope I don't need it." Shmi hurried onward, and Luke turned to go as well only to realize Artoo hadn't budged. "Buddy, I need you to look after her-"

A sound very much like a snort came out of the astromech.

"No, we _don't_ know that she'll be fine, so would you just-"

This time he was cut off by indignant bleeping, a series of binary insults and rude remarks that continued emerging from Artoo even as he began heading down Luke's chosen route. The youth sighed, but stopped arguing.

-T&T-

"I should have deleted that stupid message from the old man when I had the chance," Han growled, scrubbing furiously at his soaked hair. Leia shot him a sympathetic look, but Ahsoka had already moved on down the corridor, eyes closed and hand extended.

"The others were headed this way..." she murmured, concentrating. "But Luke just changed course... Oh, Force." The Togruta's eyes snapped open with horror.

"What? What's wrong?"

"He's on a collision course with Vader."

"WHAT?!" Only Han catching hold of the back of Leia's jumpsuit stopped the girl from taking off outright.

"Leia, we need to regroup. Shmi's headed for the hangar, and we should be too. From there we can get your brother out of whatever mess he's managed to land himself in."

"I swear, one of these days, I'm going to kill him." She huffed.

"I'll help." Han offered, only half kidding. The three of them moved quickly down the halls, only pausing when they needed to let groups of stormtroopers pass through intersections just ahead of them. Then came the moment when Han happened to glance through a viewport down into another hangar bay.

"Hey, hold up. Isn't that a royal Nabooian ship?" Both Ahsoka and Leia doubled back, the latter gasping when she saw the craft in question.

"It's Pooja's, her official Senator's transport. Aunt 'Soka, do you think she's-?"

"No, Leia, she isn't here. Not anymore." Ahsoka sighed. "They were carrying her body out of the cells when I was escorted in."

"Oh." It took Han a moment to get over his hesitation, but then he set a hand on Leia's shoulder and gave her a comforting squeeze.

"Come on. We need to move."


	12. Act 3 Chapter 5

Act III

Chapter 5

"Are you _quite_ certain we're safe here?" Chewbacca didn't bother to respond to the protocol droid's tenth iteration of that particular question, instead tipping his head back with a quiet groan of irritation. It was approaching the forty minute marker since Han, Shmi and Artoo left to retrieve the Jedi, and still Chewie was waiting for the chance to power up the _Falcon_.

A sudden eruption of noise outside caught his attention, and the wookiee carefully stuck his head into the cockpit in order to look out the viewports. From his angle, he could see Han with Leia and Ahsoka in a doorway across the hangar, exchanging blaster fire with the group of stormtroopers standing around the base of the ship.

"Oh, what are you doing now-?" Threepio cried out as Chewie barreled past him, bowcaster in hand. The wookiee sped down the _Falcon's_ loading ramp, roaring as he did so and taking the stormtroopers completely by surprise. It was a simple matter to mow most of them down, both with his weapon and his fists, which was made even simpler when Ahsoka and Leia closed distance with their lightsabers.

"Well, now that _that_ bit of unpleasantness is over with - Chewie, get the engines warmed up, we're gonna need to make a quick exit." Even as Han finished speaking, Shmi came darting into the hangar, breathing heavily as she attempted to avoid blaster fire from behind. The girl cried out as one bolt grazed her side, and crashed heavily to the ground. Roaring, Chewbacca dashed towards her, Ahsoka following a second later. As the Jedi covered them with her saber, the wookiee scoped Shmi up and hurried her to the ship. Meanwhile, Leia had started off towards a different door, Han right behind her and yelling something about no more 'how stupid and reckless is the Corellian compared to the Jedi' jokes!

That was when two figures appeared ahead of them: one huge, black, wielding a single shaft of red, and the other small, dressed in pale shades, twirling blades of both green and pure white. Luke was making good use of Ahsoka's preferred reverse grip fighting form to quickly move around Vader, deflecting his blows with either hand. The boy was keeping light on his feet in order to avoid an outright contest of strength, something Chewie couldn't fault him for.

That was as much as the wookiee got to see before ducking back into the _Falcon._ As Ahsoka remained outside, he hurried straight to the cockpit, once again ignoring Threepio's frantic questioning. Shmi he deposited in the navigator's seat, where the girl grasped at her burnt and bleeding side and offered him a grateful smile. Chewie crooned to her, turning as he did so to the engine controls and getting everything back online.

Through the viewport, he had a clear view of Artoo intervening on Luke and Vader's duel, sticking an electro-prod into the Sith's leg from behind. The man staggered, giving his opponent and the droid enough time to dash through the door, which Han then shot the controls for and closed.

One by one, the rest of his companions made their way aboard the ship, and as soon as they were all clear Han yelled for Chewie to take them up. He arrived in time to claim the pilot's seat right as Chewbacca was backing them out of the hangar.

"Everybody strap yourselves in, here's where the fun begins!"

"Fun?" Shmi groaned from her seat. Luke entered the cockpit, breathing heavily, and went straight to the nav computer in order to prepare for the jump to hyperspace.

"I'm counting five, six Tie fighters in-bound. Ladies, you at the guns yet?"

 _*Affirmative, Solo.*_

 _*Ready, Han.*_

"Alright then, take your best shots, 'cause this is just the first wave!" Chewbacca watched from the corner of his eye as blaster bolts flew out from the guns at the top and bottom of the ship. Shot after shot was fired at the Ties, connecting more often than not - but the fighters just kept coming.

"Got it!" Luke suddenly shouted. Coordinates from the nav computer uploaded into the ship's piloting system, and Han made the jump to hyperspace.

Everyone aboard leaned back to breathe a sign of relief.

Then Shmi spoke up. "Could I please get this looked at now?" She asked weakly. Luke jerked upright from where he'd collapsed in the chair opposite her, and promptly helped the girl out of the cockpit and down to the _Falcon's_ small medical bay. Chewie could hear the sounds of Leia and Ahsoka traversing the ladders back to the main level, and figured that the fifteen year old would be well taken care of.

"I blame you for all this," Han groaned, still slumped in the pilot's seat. "All goes back to six years ago. Never should have let you convince me to give those kids a free ride."

Chewbacca snorted, and pointed out that _Han_ had been the one willing let the small family aboard in the first place. His friend merely glared, remaining silent. It was then that Chewie decided to mention the tracking device that had been planted on the _Falcon_.

Han, predictably, did not take it well.

"They did _WHAT?!"_

The wookiee wasn't sure whether to laugh or roll his eyes as the man stormed about his ship in a fury. Ahsoka eventually returned to the main room and stood at Chewie's side, watching Han's performance as well.

"Sometimes," she murmured. "I wonder if he and Anakin would have gotten along famously, or been at each other's throat constantly." She smiled at Chewbacca's rumbled answer. "Yeah, probably. Fifty-fifty sounds about right."

Eventually, Han calmed down enough to speak coherently again, right about the time that Luke came out to join them as well. The others finally thought to ask where he'd set the hyperspace jump for - their answer was the Ghansel System, a fairly deserted group of planets close to the Mid and Outer Rim border. It had been used for an Alliance base in the past, back when the rebellion was still small and gathering strength.

"Alright, so we'll set down on the first hospitable rock, ditch the tracking device, and then what?" Han asked. Ahsoka was about to suggest Alderaan, which was Obi-wan's last known location, but was beaten to the punch by Artoo-Deetoo beeping hurriedly.

Luke blinked at him. "...you what?"

Artoo beeped again, more insitstantly.

"No way..." Ahsoka breathed, a grin slowly spreading across her features. "Artooie, more than two decades into our friendship and you still manage to surprise me. Well, Captain Solo, it looks like we've got some Death Star plans to deliver. After Ghansel, set course for Yavin four."

-T&T-

Vader paced around the empty meeting room, fists clenched, Force boiling with the strength of his fury. He'd _had_ them, _spoke_ to them, and yet his children managed to escape once again. Unlike on the first occasion, however, when he'd had no one to blame but himself for letting the twins slip away, Vader was fully ready to blame every person aboard the Death Star - hence why none, not even Tarkin himself, were willing to enter the same room as the enraged Sith.

It was hours before Vader was able to get ahold of himself once more. As soon as he did, the first thing on his agenda was to get an update on the data from the tracking device placed aboard the Corellian ship. The terrified technician from who he asked for this update was so distressed all he could do was point to the computer screen, where Vader read that the ship was still travelling through hyperspace. He gave the order to be informed as soon as a change occurred, and left before the technician could faint.

After this, he was asked to meet with Tarkin, who had a piece of news.

"Our scouts have reported back from Dantooine," the Grand Moff began, with a sour expression on his face.

"And the rebel base was not there." Vader couldn't help the curl of vindictive satisfaction in his belly.

"Indeed. It seems I was too hasty in ordering Senator Naberrie's termination. There will, of course, be further opportunities in future for discovering the rebellion's primary hideaway, but I wish to have some greater piece of news for the Emperor than _that."_ The man clasped his hands behind his back and looked sternly to Vader. "How likely is it that your escaped Jedi will lead us to their rebel allies?"

"It is impossible to say, Grand Moff. But we will be monitoring all stops they make, and eventually they're bound to visit the base."

"Hm." The disappointment that Tarkin was expressing resonated with Vader, as he too was unhappy with the answer. Finding and capturing his children may have been the Sith's current main goal, but wiping out the rebellion was a close second. Along with destroying the last of the Jedi, solidifying the Empire's grasp on the galaxy, and then overthrowing Palpatine in order to hold that power himself.

Admittedly, they were all the same goals he'd had for years, none of which ever seemed to have real progress made towards them.

But, he refused to admit defeat. Someday soon, he'd have his twins by his side, teaching them the ways of the Dark Side; and from there, all the other goals would be achieved as well. It was just a matter of continuing onward, and learning from his mistakes...

 _A/N: In less than four days, I start driving back to Colorado to begin my second year of college. /ecstatic grin_

 _Once that happens, I will once more have unlimited internet access, and hopefully the inspiration to start working on more stories again (which you lot should be especially hopeful for, as this is the last complete chapter I've written so far for Tano and Twins). So! Wish me luck, cross your fingers, and hope that the Force doesn't decide to send storms to wash out my highway route._

 _-Tri_


	13. Act 3 Chapter 6

Act III

Chapter 6

When the _Millennium Falcon_ came in for a landing at the base on Yavin IV, a couple of X-wing fighters flew out to escort them - one carrying a Force signature that the Jedi were happy to recognize.

 _*Alright, what in the galaxy did you di'kuts do this time?*_ Even over the comm system, Mara Jade's amusement was evident.

"It was NOT our fault." Luke replied. "On, this occasion, anyway." Han snorted. And then yelped when Leia slapped the backside of his head.

 _*Well, whatever it is you've done, the High Command's anxious to get a full debrief from Master Tano. Don't suppose you two can share the news with the rest of us beforehand?*_

"When we were aboard the Death Star, Artoo downloaded the entire thing's schematics."

Silence rang over of the comm lines for a good minute.

 _*...Let's get you guys down to the surface...*_

-T&T-

"Shmi? Shmi Lars?!" A dark-haired Rebel with a small moustache pushed his way through the crowd of pilots and mechanics, eyes intent on the shortest figure to have just gotten off the newly arrived ship.

"Biggs!" The girl beamed at him, changing course to give the older youth a tight hug.

"Ah, so this is the former champion of Beggar's Canyon." Biggs glanced up and blinked at the pair of teens who were grinning at him.

"Ah, I'm sorry, former?"

"Heh, Biggs, meet my step-cousins, Luke and Leia Skywalker." Shmi grinned. " _New_ champion racers of Beggar's Canyon."

"Oh I can smell a story there. But first of all, Shmi, what the kriff are you doing here? Where are your parents?"

The girl's face fell. "They... They're dead, Biggs. The stormtroopers killed them."

"Oh. Aw, kid, I'm sorry."

"Like you said, Darklighter, there's a story here. But, first, I need to help tell the bigger one that happened on the Death Star."

Biggs' eyebrows shot up. "Ohh-kay, well, I'll be around when that finishes up."

"Thanks, Biggs."

"Anytime."

-T&T-

"Twins!" Waiting just in front of the main meeting room doors were a pair of small, dark haired figures. The slightly taller one was Duree Naberrie, age seven, and the smaller was his two years younger sister, Jooda. Both the children dashed towards their mother's cousins, who dropped to their knees in order to embrace the little ones. Shmi paused awkwardly beside them, but Ahsoka simply sighed and continued onwards, towards where she could see Ryoo emerging from the room.

The Naboo woman pulled up short upon spotting the Jedi, took in Ahsoka's expression, and promptly released a shaky breath as she tried to keep from bursting into tears. Without a word, the Togruta closed the distance between them and pulled Ryoo into an embrace.

"W-we were on Onderaan," she started to say. "A-about to make the j-jump to hy-hy-pers-space- but, but the n-news- Miken- h-he-" Ahsoka just tightened her grip, allowing the other woman to release some of her grief over the loss of her home, her family and her husband. The news of her deceased sister could wait.

-T&T-

"...and after dumping the tracking device, we headed here." Ahsoka finished the narrative.

"Master Tano, do you mean to tell us that the Death Star will soon arrive in the Ghansel system, expecting to find the headquarters of the Rebellion?" Mon Mothma asked, her eyes lighting up.

"That's exactly right, ma'am. Which gives us the perfect opportunity to stage an ambush, _without_ risking the entirety of our forces." Glancing over to where Artoo was waiting after he'd uploaded the battle station's blueprints, Ahsoka gave the droid a questioning look. He beeped back an answer, and she smiled grimly.

"According to Artoo-Deetoo's calculations of the Death's Star top speed, we still have approximately two and a half hours before it reaches Ghansel. If our ships take off within the next twenty minutes, we can get there just a few minutes behind the Imperials."

"It's going to have to just be the snub fighters," a technician studying the blueprints suddenly called out. "We've only found one weakness so far - an small exhaust port, unshielded, leading directly to the main reactor. Only our smallest fighters would be able to get close enough to the surface of the station in order to take the shot."

"Right then," Ahsoka stated, standing. "The twins and I will head out with the three fastest groups of pilots. General?"

"That's going to be Green, Gold and Red squadrons." Around the meeting room, Mara Jade and two older pilots, the leaders of the three groups, nodded their agreement.

"Then let's get moving."

-T&T-

Leading her new astromech to the X-wing she'd been assigned, Leia paused upon spotting Han and Chewbacca loading the _Falcon_ with crates of supplies. "You guys heading out?"

The man glanced up at her, his expression of surprise quickly being replaced by one much more blank. "Well, yeah. Got some jobs we need to do, runs to make - you know how it is."

"I guess I do." Leia frowned, studying him. "Kind of thought you'd at least stick around to see whether we survive or not, though."

"Oh. Uh." As Han stalled, Chewie stepped around him to wrap Leia in a massive hug, grumbling his own well-wishes.

"Heh, thanks, you big softie." She returned the embrace, before pulling away to shoot a beaming grin up at the wookie. "We'll meet you for drinks on Nar Shadda sometime, okay?"

Chewbacca roared his agreement, patting the youth on her head before going back to work. Han continued to stand there awkwardly.

Leia gave him a softer smile. "See you around, Han." She then walked off, joining up with Luke and Artoo, and promptly launched the complaint about his having their personal droid while she made do with a substitute.

Watching until the twins were out of sight, Han sighed. And then started muttering to himself, causing Chewie to look over with a chuff.

"No. No, I'm not gonna go through this again, I don't care how much you complain or fuss or try to bully me. A Solo doesn't bend so easily, _especially_ not around those kriffing Jedi!" One look at his first mate, and Han groaned. "Aw, blast it all..."

-T&T-

"Sorry I can't stick around longer, kid," Biggs apologized to Shmi, pulling on his flight helmet. "But we'll finish the heart-to-heart as soon as I get back, okay?"

The girl snorted, one arm resting around her still-healing blaster wound. "That's _if_ you get back, koochoo."

"Hey, I wouldn't be in Red Squadron if I weren't a top notch pilot, kiddo - I'll be the one to lead the rest of the pilots in to land, just you wait!"

"Yeah right! If nothing else, you're going to limp down to the landing pads between my cousins, with them laughing about needing to save your rusty tailfins."

"Pff. Even they can't be _that_ good." He paused when Shmi sent him a warning look.

"Trust me, Biggs. They are."

-T&T-

"You're gonna come back, right?" Duree asked anxiously. Luke chuckled, taking his helmet and plopping it down on the kid's head.

"Sure we will, 'Ree. You know Leia, Aunt 'Soka and I are the best of the best. Even if this fight doesn't go according to plan, we'll make sure to come back."

The boy studied him intently through the visor for a few moments, before nodding. "Okay. You'd better!" He handed the helmet back, and then ran off to find his mother and little sister. Luke watched him go, feeling his spirits dampen.

"Doing okay, hotshot?" Smiling, the youth reached a hand out behind him, which Mara took hold of as she walked up to him.

"An entire planet..." Luke murmured. "They destroyed an entire planet without hesitation. How can people do that?"

"I don't know. I still can't even believe they were willing to target the Emperor's home planet - doubt His Wrinkliness took it well, either." She smirked as Luke let out a snort.

"Your mind works in strange ways, Jade."

"Why thank you, Skywalker. Now come on, your droid's loaded up, and everyone else is just about ready take off. Let's go win some justice for Naboo."

 _A/N: Okay, major 'whoops' on my part, I thought I poster this a couple weeks ago. Sorry!_

 _In the realm of personal news, my new semester is going well, I've gotten to reconnect with old friends, and now have the most epic roommate in the universe, who's gotten me sucked into the fandom for Voltron: Legendary Defender. If any of you lot have come to be prisoners of that show as well, you might be interested in the stories I've posted here and the fan art I've recently put up on Tumblr._

 _Well, I'll finished up the final chapter for the act of Tano and Twins this weekend, and then there'll be another intermission while I try to finish writing Act V before starting to post those. We're more than halfway done, folks! /cheers_

 _-Tri_


	14. Act 3 Chapter 7

Act III

Chapter 7

As the X-wings and other fighters emerged from hyperspace in the Ghansel system, Ahsoka was quick to call role. "Alright squadrons, this is Free Leader, clear of the jump site. All pilots respond."

 _*Green Leader present, six little Greens accounted for.*_

 _*Red Leader present, all Reds arrived safely.*_

 _*This is Gold Leader, both Golds checked in.*_

 _*Sky One ready for action-*_

 _*-and Sky Two right behind him.*_

Smirking, Ahsoka rolled her eyes at the twins' shared eager tone, something she recognized from their dad. "Alright, Gold Squadron is going to head in first for the trench. Greens provide cover fire to the N-Sec, Reds to the S-Sec. The Skies and I will circle opposite the Golds as a distraction. Orders clear?" A chorus of affirmatives from all the pilots answered her, and Ahoksa was reminded of the days she'd be leading a flight of clones into battle.

These stakes were much higher than any mission in the war, though.

This time, they were protecting more than a single ship or planet, but rather the entire galaxy and beyond.

"Alright boys and girls, let's move in, and kick these Imps where it hurts."

-T&T-

They'd returned.

Vader had just been about to leave the bridge after learning that the tracking device was discovered abandoned on the planet below, when he felt a large shudder in the Force. Extending himself, the Sith was just able to detect twenty different lifeforms swiftly approaching the Death Star. Half were strong with the Force - and three were the Jedi who'd only just escaped him earlier that day.

Evidently, they were planning to attack the station.

Just as Vader came to that realization, one of the ensigns below informed Tarkin of the incoming attack force. Fighters were immediately deployed, though the Grand Moff waved away any concern that the Death Star was in danger. Nonetheless, Vader quietly ordered for his own Tie to be readied for take-off, and departed for the hangar bays.

-T&T-

 _*Here they come!*_

 _*Red Two, I could some extra cover fire here.*_

 _*Three Ties above you, Green Five!"_

 _*Gold Squadron has entered the trench, I repeat, Gold Squadron beginning our bombing run now.*_

 _*We lost Red Four, enemy squadron circling around.*_

"Green Leader, send two of your pilots to reinforce Red Squadron." Ahsoka ordered, paying attention to the battle with both her ship's sensors and the Force. Above and slightly behind her, the twins remained silent in their own X-wings, concentrating on evading enemy fire as they continued to flaunt themselves as a distraction.

 _*Affirmative, Free Leader.*_ Mara acknowledged. _*Green One, Green Two, go give the Reds a hand.*_

 _*Gotcha, Green Leader.*_

 _*Understood.*_

"Gold Squadron, what's your status?"

 _*Almost to the t- Argh!*_

" _Gold Two's gone, the Ties are right on top of me!*_

 _*Stay on target-*_

"Pull out, Golds, the run isn't worth your lives!"

 _*Negatory, Free Leader, Gold One's gone, Gold Leader- fek and all, they got him too.*_

"New arrangement, then - the Skies and I are coming back around. Red Leader, send three of your pilots in for a quick diversion, but have them pull up when we get there."

 _*Acknowledged. Red Three, Red Two, follow me in.*_

Ahsoka and the twins neatly twisted out of the path they'd been following, avoiding the majority of the Tie fighters behind them and blasting a few others to smithereens. Then they were in a race to get back to the main action before the three Red pilots had to leave off their diversionary run. The rest of Red and Green Squadrons circled the trench, putting up as much of a defense as they could. Mara's pilots in particular were able to take out enemy fighters just before they could successfully strike any rebel, as all the members of that squad were Force-sensitives, including a couple other Jedi who'd received training on Dagobah.

Unfortunately, that by no means made them perfect, and a few Ties still got through to attack the Reds. Including one, Ahsoka realized with a shiver, that Darth Vader was piloting.

 _*Careful, Red Leader, you've got Vader and his Blacks coming in on top of you!*_ Luke warned over the comms.

 _*We see them, Sky One. Darklighter, Antilles, get ready to pull out- now!*_ Just in time, the two young pilots swerved up from the trench to avoid being blasted by the elite Imperial pilots. Their squad leader, though, kept going, keeping the trio focused on him. Vader's ship swooped lower, fired, and took out the rebel pilot in one go. Ahsoka felt his death, but rather than growing angry at the Sith, kept herself calm by calling on the Force. Luke managed the same, but Leia...

"Sky Two, get back in formation!"

 _*Negatory, Free Leader, if we can sense him he can sense us. I'm going to pull Vader away from the fight.*_

 _*I'll come-*_

"Sky One, you stay right where you are!" Ahsoka barked. "Sky Two, get back down here for the bombing run with your brother - _I'll_ distract Vader."

Obviously reluctant, Leia came down from the upward swoop she'd been entering, changing position with her aunt. One of the Red pilots, Wedge Antilles, took command of his squadron and set them to a rotating defense around the trench, while Biggs spun around and joined the twins for their run.

Blocking out the chaos of the fight around her, Ahsoka called on the Force to guide her movements as she swept directly in front of Vader's Tie, causing him to alter course in order to pursue. His bodyguard pilots, Blacks One and Two, had a hard time keeping up with the elaborate dance that the pair went through, reminiscent of their old tag-team efforts in the Clone Wars and yet so different. Circling behind an incoming group of Ties, Ahsoka blasted two, forcing Vader to swerve around them and buying her an extra bit of distance. She then had to enter a quick series of flips to evade his own fire, before entering a tight dive towards the Death Star's surface.

Then, disaster struck.

In avoiding a cannon shot from below, Ahsoka was too slow to pull back out of the path of Vader's shot, which tore out a section of her hull. The Jedi forced herself not to panic, in case she alerted the twins to her predicament and caused them to leave off their important attack. Pulling into as sharp a turn as she dared with her weakened ship, the woman prepared to at least try and take Vader down with her-

One of the Blacks exploded, the shockwave propelling Vader's Tie of to one side and away from the clear shot he would have had on Ahsoka. Stunned, the Jedi stared up at where the _Millennium Falcon_ was coming around for another pass.

 _*Guess you're lucky we were in the neighborhood, Tano!*_ Han's voice had never been more welcome over the comm line. A moment later, there was another reason to celebrate.

 _*Sky Two got a direct hit!*_ Luke cheered. _*Everyone pull out, we've got less than twenty seconds to detonation!*_

The remaining fighters all sped away, with the _Falcon_ providing cover fire. They all got just past the blast radius when the entire Death Star shattered, the massive explosion sending debris and energy ripples in all directions. Ahsoka had a brief flash in the Force from the deaths of those aboard, followed by the sense of Vader's fury. Where he'd wound up in his Tie, the woman didn't care, because she, the twins and all their allies were jumping to hyperspace, eager to return to Yavin and declare their victory.

-T&T-

The first thing Han encountered upon disembarking from his ship was Leia dashing up to him, throwing her arms around the man in a suffocatingly tight hug.

" _Knew_ you wouldn't just up and leave," she murmured into his chest.

"Yeah, well, don't get used to- _oomp!_ Chewie!" The wookie had come down the ramp behind them and grabbed both the humans in an embrace of his own, lifting them clear off the ground with a cheerful cry. Others began to gather as well, eager to congratulate the young Jedi who'd made the final shot that brought down the Death Star.

Shmi had first gone to give Luke a relieved hug, and Artoo, then Ahsoka, and finally Biggs as well.

"Well, I guess you were right, Lars!" The youth laughed. "Those Skywalkers sure are phenomenal pilots."

"I _told_ you so." She grinned back. "Glad you came out in one piece, Biggs."

"Yeah, me too. Hey, Wedge! Have you met my friend Shmi yet?"

There was someone else waiting in the hangar bay, whom Ahsoka sought out as soon as she escaped the crowd of well-wishers. "Obi-wan."

"Ahsoka. I'm very glad to see that you've escaped from two close encounters with Vader in as many days," the man murmured, resting a hand on her shoulder. "The twins?"

"They're fine. Speaking to him was a bit jarring for them, but nothing too traumatic."

"Good, good."

"Will you be staying long?"

"Only until Bail leaves - he's promised to drop me off at Cody and Rex's base on the way to Alderaan. When that will happen, though, I'm not sure, because it promises to be quite the party for the remainder of tonight and possibly tomorrow as well."

"Obi-wan, this place is going to be in a state of celebration for the next _week._ And while I doubt Organa will stay for all of it, you are by no means leaving as early as tomorrow."

"Hm. Perhaps so." The mischievous twinkle in his eyes, though, told Ahsoka that the elder Jedi agreed with her statement completely. "Now, do you think we're going to be able to pull Luke and Leia out of that crowd any time soon?"

Looking over to where dozens of pilots, mechanics and other rebels had gathered around the twins, everyone laughing and cheering for the young Jedi, Ahsoka grinned and shook her head.

"Not likely in the slightest."

 _A/N: End Act Three! Not entirely certain of when I'll start up number four, but next weekend I'll post an Interlude chapter covering the three 'between' years. See you all then!_

 _-Tri_


	15. Interlude 1

Interlude 1

Shmi was in the hangar bay with Biggs, Wedge and a few other members of Rogue Squadron when an incoming sound caught their attention. All the young men and women picked their heads up in surprise just as Luke came sprinting into the bay, whooping at the top of his lungs.

"Hi guys bye guys!" The twenty year old shouted, not slowing down on his way past them and out another set of doors. Following the same path not a second later was Leia.

"LUKE! GET BACK HERE YOU PATHETIC WASTE OF A SKYWALKER, SO I CAN PUMMEL YOU INTO THE GROUND!"

As the second Jedi dashed past in pursuit of her brother, wearing a murderous expression, Wedge let out a low whistle of awe.

"Well," he said. "That's the last we'll ever see Luke alive."

"I don't imagine 'death by twin sister' is a pleasant way to go," Biggs added with a chuckle. Shmi simply rolled her eyes and continued on with their conversation.

-T&T-

On Shmi's seventeenth birthday, she emerged from her assigned bedroom in the Ryloth Resistance's headquarters to find a crowd of old clones and young twi'leks waiting with large grins. They immediately burst out into assorted variations of the 'Happy Birthday' song, scaring the girl half to death. At the end of it, she smiled, thanked them sincerely, and then went to find the twins in order to commit a pair of murders.

-T&T-

"Congratulations on the promotion, _General_ Solo."

"Why thank you, Commander Skywalker. Don't suppose you'd care to join me for a celebratory drink?"

"Sorry, Luke and I are headed out in a little bit for a supply run to Rex's outpost."

"Oh." Han's shoulders slumped ever so slightly.

"But, maybe we can join you for one when we get back?" Leia suggested.

"Sure! Yeah, I'll see you guys later then." He watched as the young woman headed off to join her brother in the hangar bay.

A few yards away, Shmi watched the encounter with shrewd eyes, her mind running through the calculations. That evening, she went to Ahsoka in order to ask if there was anything going on between Han and Leia.

The Jedi simply smiled, and took another sip of her caf.

 _A/N: I know, I know, this is ridiculously short, not to mention late, but I've been bodily dragged into the Voltron LD fandom and it refuses to release me from its clutches._

 _But! I'm slowly transitioning back into working on Tano and Twins, and the first chapter of Act four will be up by next Sunday. Can y'all hang on 'til then? Thanks._

 _-Tri_


	16. Act 4 Chapter 1

Act IV - Allies Reunited

Chapter 1

Not for the first time, Leia was regretting her loss of the credit ship toss that led to her and Luke's current positions. The male Skywalker was off at the Enclave on Dagobah, busy helping with Yoda and the former crew of the _Lost Saber_ to run the younger students through their Initiate Trials. His sister, in the meantime, was working with the members of the Alliance at their base on Hoth.

Despite how little she was inclined towards muggy swamps, Leia admitted to herself that such a place would be infinitely better than a planet constantly covered with blizzards.

Over their stretched out Force bond, she sent her displeasure to Luke, and was not mollified in the slightest by the amusement he shot back. So distracted, the young woman didn't notice the approaching predator until it was already upon her.

-T&T-

Several systems away, Luke frowned as his sister's side of the bond closed down. Normally he'd accredit it to her annoyance, and move on, but something on this occasion was bothering him...

"Distracted, you are?" An amused voice asked from the vicinity of his knees. "The wrong twin, perhaps, to have come."

"Apologies, Master Yoda." Luke answered immediately. "I was just communicating with my sister when something caused her to shut me out."

The tiny Jedi raised his eye ridges. "Across the galaxy, you converse? Stronger it would seem, this bond of yours, than that of Master and Padawan."

"We're only capable of passing on emotions or brief images at this distance..."

"Still, still." A poke of the Grand Master's staff urged Luke to start moving, out of the guest hut and in the direction of the training field.

Though, the term 'field' was a bit of a stretch - it originally had just been a small clearing where Yoda would meditate. In the years since his growing body of students began to arrive, though, the tiny Jedi had worked with the Force to make the space between the gnarled trees ever larger - pushing plants away, while pulling forth large piles of dirt and stone to make a solid ground. It was here that his groups of younglings would practice their katas and other exercises, watched closely by their teacher. Since the arrival and completed training of the six crewmembers of the _Lost Saber,_ sections of the field had also been turned into a bit of an obstacle course for the advanced students.

It was these six - Petro, Katooni, Byph, Ganoodi, Zatt and Gungi - to whom Master Yoda had entrusted the more combat-oriented training of the younglings. After more than a decade spent hiding in plain sight as pirates and fighting Imperials, while remaining true to the Jedi Code they'd been taught at the Temple on Coruscant, the group were very well suited to their task.

Luke was present, along with more than a few others his age to help observe the younglings as they went through Yoda's varied Initiate Trials, noting those who were ready to move on to advance training in preparation to become Padawans and which students were not. Though Master Plo Koon was also present at the Enclave, he tended to spend his time managing the smallest of the children, those of six years old and younger.

Approaching the field, Luke smiled at all the expectant faces. "Alright, who's up first with me for the meditation exercises?"

-T&T-

Moaning, Leia's eyes fluttered open as she returned to consciousness, and memories of what led up to her current predicament replayed like an internal vid display.

 _Patrol... Talking to Luke... Snow monster..._ Suddenly, the woman snapped to full awareness, extended senses taking in the full scope of her troubles:

Upside down, feet frozen to the ceiling.

No weapon in sigh.

Hungry predator finishing off her Tauntaun.

Hungry predator about to come finish off _her_.

Taking as deep a breath as her cracked ribs would allow, Leia kept calm, carefully searching with the Force to find her lightsaber and praying it hadn't been lost anywhere outside the cave. A strangled sob relief bubbled up inside when she located it, dropped in a nearby snowdrift. One Force-pull was all the woman needed in order to summon the weapon, and not a moment too soon. She'd barely regained her footing on the floor when the monster was upon her.

A few wild slashes of the saber later, and the predator reeled back, crying out in pain. Knowing she'd likely be berated over the lack of finesse later, Leia nonetheless took her opportunity and bolted. Her head was pounding, breathing was painful, and every part of her body felt half frozen - these were not the qualities that carried a Jedi through to victory.

Clumsily staggering through the snowstorm that had started up outside, the woman managed to send a burst of emotion to her twin. It was nothing more than a jumbled mess of _painfearhurthelp,_ but Luke would at the very least be able to tell something was wrong, and send word to Ahsoka, who was in a position to call someone at Echo Base and then get help for Leia.

If anyone was willing to go outside in a blizzard like this, anyway. At night. With no idea of where she was.

In the back of her mind, Leia decided she was being far too pessimistic. Then another part of her pointed out that it could also be called realistic, and after that she stopped thinking altogether, just focusing on moving forward.

-T&T-

"Whaddya mean she's not back yet?" Han demanded.

"Just that, sir, we've not had any word from Commander Skywalker since she called the all-clear on that meteor. And that was almost two- sir? Sir!" The harried aide tried to stop him from running to the Tauntaun stables, but Han was not a man about to be barred from his mission. Leia was missing out in the ice fields - possibly lost, possibly hurt or worse. No way in hellfire he was staying put as night got closer and closer.

Others tried to protest his leaving - several pilots and officers of the Alliance, C-3PO and Chewbacca, just to name a few, though the latter two did shut up when he said it was to find Leia. Of all the times for both Tano and Luke to be off-world...

Still, Han wasn't about to let a little thing like not being able to reach through the Force stop him. Bundled up and bearing two emergency kits (just in case), he and his mount set off out the blast doors.

-T&T-

Luke's head snapped up at the sudden influx of his sister's emotions, and then he was shuddering under the sheer strength of them. All across the training field, the younglings and their instructors paused, looking to him with concern.

"Master Skywalker?" One of the Initiates inquired, approaching carefully. "Are you alright?"

It took a moment for Luke to regain enough control of himself to answer. "I am. Leia isn't." And with that, he returned to a meditative position, trying first to gain a better idea of what was happening to his twin. All that came through the bond was a sense of _hurryfleehelpcoldmonster,_ along with images of a completely white landscape.

Correctly assuming that something had attacked Leia and left her stranded somewhere on Hoth, Luke then switched to reaching out for Ahsoka. The Togruta woman was much closer in the galaxy, though the lesser bond that both twins shared with her meant Luke would only be able to convey about as much as Leia had. Still, Ahsoka was clearly able to understand that something had gone wrong with one of her charges, and sent back a pulse of _calmreassurancelove_ to the other.

When Luke next opened his eyes, he wasn't entirely surprised to find Yoda standing directly before him and watching intently, everyone else gathered close by.

"Trouble there is, young Skywalker?"

"Leia's hurt on Hoth," the young man answered back, frowning. "I can't get the specifics, but was able to notify Aunt Ah- erm, Master Tano."

"Hm." Yoda leaned forward a tad more, peering into Luke's eyes. "Dismissed you are for the day, Knight Skywalker. Contact Master Kenobi, on the holocom you will - discover news, if any there is."

"Thank you, Master."

-T&T-

When Ahsoka put through a call to Echo Base, her concern grew over learning that Leia had disappeared from a patrol, and that Han Solo had gone out to look for her, only for neither to return before the storm doors were locked down for the night. Reaching out through the Force, she was able to determine that Leia was still alive, but weak.

"Find her, Solo," Ahsoka murmured. "Find her and keep her safe."

"Something wrong?" Turning to see Hera Syndulla watching with a worried gaze, Ahsoka tried to give her friend a reassuring smile that fell short of the mark.

"Bit of trouble on Hoth with Leia," she explained. "Nothing to be done about it right now."

"Are you sure? We can call off the operation and-"

"No, Hera. The Alliance needs those shipping manifestos, and right now we're the only ones in a position to get them."

"If you're certain..."

"I am."

"Well, alright then. At least you'll be able to tell when things turn out one way or the other, right? I'm always stuck wondering whether the kids have gone and blown something up while Kanan and I are away..." At that, Ahsoka had to laugh.

"Just be glad Ezra's the only one with Force training!"

"Oh, believe me, I am."


	17. Act 4 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Han spotted her staggering through the snow just a few yards away, and got to Leia's side a split second after she collapsed. Biting back his rising panic, the man sacrificed his already half-dead tauntaun as a temporary heat source for the unconscious Jedi before jumping to set up a decent shelter for the night. As soon as the tent had been erected against a snow bank, Han promptly got Leia inside, ignoring her indistinct murmurs. With only a moment's hesitation, he started stripping the young woman of her frozen outer layers, chucking the bloody and befouled garments back outside. Then Han started up the little lamp-heater, covered Leia over with every thermal blanket he'd brought, and finally got his own thawing outer garments off.

What followed were several tense and worry-filled hours.

At one point, Leia shifted a bit and gasped in pain, causing Han move over beside her. Carefully, he checked beneath the blankets and her undershirt, biting back a hiss at the sight of the swollen bruises lining the woman's side.

"The kriff happened to you, Leia?"

"Wassa big... m'nster," came the unexpected answer. Releasing the shirt as though he'd been slapped, Han met Leia's eyes, which were only barely open but watching him intently.

"Big monster, huh? Bet you taught it not to mess with Jedi."

"Damn... straight..."

"Heh. It's okay now, kid, you get some rest." Nodding slightly, Leia slipped back into sleep. Han watched her for a long while, slowly realizing that she was now about as old as he'd been when first meeting the Skywalker twins and their aunt. The fact made him feel old. It also made him painfully aware of just how well Leia had grown into her adult self, something that Chewie would smack him for if aware of the thought's presence in his captain's mind.

Kriff, just having it in his mind made Han want to slap himself! He'd know Leia since she was an actual kid, for cryin' out loud!

And yet, she'd grown up, and become beautiful somewhere along the way.

-T&T-

Despite getting no return call from Obi-wan after the man promised to check in with things on Hoth, Luke knew the exact moment his sister was found. Her side of the Force bond opened back up, just for a few moments, allowing contentment and reassurance to slip through to the anxious young man on Dagobah.

Beyond relieved, Luke passed the message on to Ahsoka, and then went back outside to rejoin the other Jedi.

-T&T-

The instant that dawn broke over the frigid ice world, Wedge Antilles, Biggs Darklighter and several other members of Rogue squadron headed out in their X-wings to search for their missing friends.

"All pilots, this is Rogue leader, I've got eyes on our prize!" Circling around the tiny grey speck where a figure was waving at him, Wedge ordered his pilots to pull back in from their search routes. As soon as he'd landed, the man hopped outside and jogged over.

"You alright, Solo?" He yelled, finally close enough to recognize the figure's uniform.

"Fekkin' cold, but alive!" The general called back. "Same with Leia!" Wedge sighed in relief, glad that the Jedi had been safely found.

"In that case, I'll call in a rescue crew."

-T&T-

When Ahsoka got back to the small house she and the others were using as a base of operations for their infiltration job, Kanan was waiting with a grin.

"Leia and Han got back to Echo base in one piece." He told the Togruta woman. "Kid's gonna need to spend some time in a bacta tank and then a med bay bed, but she'll be fine."

Ahsoka spent the rest of that day with a small smile on her face.

-T&T-

The entire time that her step-cousin spent inside the bacta tank, Shmi was practically bouncing with nervous energy. Three years in the company of the Skywalker twins and their wide variety of Alliance friends had done a lot to help the teen adjust to the dangers of operating within a rebellion, but it was rare that Shmi didn't grow upset whenever a member of her family was hurt. Memories of her deceased parents made sure of that.

And so, it was with great relief that the eighteen year old hugged Leia as soon as the older woman was released to bed rest. Shmi wouldn't have even left the room if her cousin didn't demand Biggs drag the girl off to get a proper meal and some sleep. Reluctantly, she went, but promised to return soon.

Though, after seeing Han hurry past in the direction of Leia's room, Shmi privately decided she could probably stand to give the pair some extra time to be alone.

-T&T-

"You _are_ feeling better, right?"

Leia looked up at him with feigned astonishment. "Why Han Solo, if I didn't know any better I'd say you were actually _fretting_ over me!" She grinned at his stammered protest as he tried to come up with a plausible excuse.

"N-no, it's just, well, you've got some very scary people in your corner who'd rip me limb from limb if I let anything happen to you - and one of them is my co-pilot, remember? Death by wookie is not how I intend to go, thank you very much!"

"Uh-huh."

They switched to other topics, Han remaining by her bedside for over an hour until Leia started to nod off again. Just as sleep started to claim her, however, the Jedi would've sworn she felt calloused fingers gently cupping her chin, followed by a featherlight kiss being pressed to her temple. This led into a rather pleasant dream of her relaxing in a sunlit meadow beside someone very similar to Han, though by the time Leia next awoke she couldn't decide whether any of it had been real or not.

-T&T-

Yoda noticed the concerned emotions coming from Luke when he arrived in the communal house for dinner, though the male Skywalker's face was devoid of any outstanding expression.

"Troubled, you are." The diminutive master stated when the two of them had a moment of privacy, the other Jedi in the gathering room conversing amongst themselves.

"Obi-wan finally got back to me," Luke admitted. "Leia's injuries were pretty severe, and while the medics are certain she'll recover physically, I'm worried how shaken up by this she'll be."

"Mm. Go to her, you wish to do."

"Yes, Master."

"Trust those around your twin, to help her, you do not."

"No! No, it's not that, I just- she'll do better if I'm there. That's true for the both of us." Breathing deeply, Luke centered himself and released his growing stress into the Force. "We haven't been this far apart for so long before, and I'm concerned she won't be able to overcome her doubts about being able to operate in the field until I'm close enough we can give strength back to our bond."

Yoda thought this over in silence for a time. While it was true Force bound twins or triplets were a great rarity, nearly nine hundred years spent in the Jedi Temple had given him the opportunity to observe quite a few. And as with the Skywalker twins, it was rare to separate such beings from their siblings for extended lengths of time - negatively affecting their Force capabilities was merely the start of the problems such a thing could cause. Granted, that was more common with siblings taken from each other early in their life, rather than full grown ones, but the fact remained that Leia Skywalker would indeed take longer to recover herself without her twin close by.

"Very well," Yoda spoke, startling the distracted Luke. "Journey to Hoth, you will. Spend time with Leia. Then, perhaps, another coin toss, for deciding who returns here, hm?" He chuckled lightly at the young man's reddening face. Let it not be said that the Grand Master of the Old Jedi Order was unaware of how children decided their respective duties.

Even children as formidable as the Skywalker twins.


	18. Act 4 Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Coming out of hyperspace over Hoth, Luke expected to transmit his credentials before circling down to the shielded base, possibly fighting a snowstorm to do so, but not having anything worse than that come up.

He certainly wasn't expecting to emerge straight into a battlefield.

All around him, fellow X-wings were going toe to toe with a horde of Tie fighters, while Rebel cruisers desperately fled half a dozen Imperial Star Destroyers. Laser fire and explosions lit the space like a morbid fireworks display.

Getting over his shock, Luke promptly dove into the fight. He took out three Ties in a row before they knew he was there, and then promptly pulled a dizzying roll to avoid fire from another trio. His comm system roared to life, inundating the young man with frantic chatter.

"Rogue squadron, this is Sky One, do you copy." Luke kept his tone calm, commanding.

 _*Roger, Sky One, this is Rogue Leader. Glad to have you with us.*_

"Likewise, Wedge. What's the situation on evac?"

 _*Half the fleet jumped to hyperspace when the Imps got here, but then a gravity well created by that biggest Destroyer pulled 'em back out. Echo base has been emptied, but that just means we're all up here for the taking.*_

 _*Sithspit, he's almost as pessimistic as you, Luke.*_

Grinning, the male Skywalker greeted his twin with both words over the comm and emotion over their Force bond. "That means I still hold the record, then. You cleared to be out here, sis?"

 _*No,*_ Biggs jumped in before Leia could answer. _*But we don't exactly have a choice at the moment.*_

 _*Even if there was a choice, I'd still be up here!*_

"Now, _that_ answer I expected. So, shall we give these buckethead pilots with no talent for flying a reason to retreat to their big bad motherships, Sky Two?"

 _*I think we shall, Sky One, after you.*_

As soon as their two pale blue X-wings met up, Luke and Leia instigated a deadly dance through the ranks of enemy pilots. They made an impressive show of it, taking down opponents and drawing more and more attention away from their allies. At some point, an Imperial pilot must have recognized them and reported it back to a squadron leader, because all of a sudden nearly half the Ties in the battle were swarming towards the Skywalker twins' position, attempting to herd them like stug-bugs after a pair of tooka cats. Meanwhile, a transmission came through the rebel ships that the _Millennium Falcon_ had scored a hit on the Interdictor Star Destroyer, rendering the gravity well useless.

Ships all around the battlefield jumped to safety, leaving only the X-wings to cover their escapes. Then it was time for the fighter squadrons to beam away as well.

 _*To Outpost Twenty, Sky One?*_

"I think so, Sky Two. See you there," Luke reached for his nav controls, and sped into hyperspace.

-T&T-

"Do you think they got away alright?" Shmi asked anxiously, causing Han to roll his eyes.

"Relax, kid, and give your cousins some credit. They've gotten away just fine, believe me, and both of 'em will be arriving at the rendezvous right behind us." He continued to work on the _Falcon's_ internal electronics, not noticing the shrewd look he was receiving.

"You're trying to convince yourself too, aren't you." Han's hand slipped, and he swore when the laser tool singed his fingers.

"What are you talking about, kid?"

"Don't try to fool me, Solo, I know you've got a thing for Leia." Shmi crossed her arms. "And I know you worry about her."

"Don't be ridiculous-"

"Why else would you go out into the Hothian night, with a blizzard coming up at that, to find her when no one else though she'd be able to survive?"

Han glared at the smug eighteen year old. "Sometimes, I really hate that the twins asked me to be your babysitter."

-T&T-

Throughout the galaxy, there were a number of ancient Jedi temples and strongholds leftover from the era before they consolidated themselves on Coruscant. Since Order 66, the handful of surviving knights, masters and padawans had done their best to seek out these forgotten outposts and restore them as emergency waystations. Ahsoka and the twins by themselves were able to clean up more than thirty such locations, stocking them with medical supplies, rations and repair kits.

Outpost Twenty, though, was a prefered destination. It was an old, hidden temple on the Outer Rim world of Lothal, frequently used not just by the Skywalkers, but also their friends who lived aboard the _Ghost._

Several of whom were present and waiting for the twins' arrival.

"What happened to you two?" Ezra Bridger asked the instant they opened their cockpits. "Get chased out of another Imperial base with your tails between your legs?"

"More like we got kicked out of another one of _our_ bases," Leia informed him.

"Oh. Ouch."

"See, this is why you guys ought to keep mobile!" Another of the Spectres, Sabine Wren, appeared from around the corner, fiddling with her custom painted Mandalorian armor. "Much safer to have everything packed aboard a ship - or in the Alliance's case, a fleet of ships."

"Easier said than done." Luke dropped to the ground beside his X-wing with a groan. "I got back to Hoth just in time to help with the mass evacuation."

"Back to? Where were you bef- oh, helping out at your top secret Jedi youngling base?" Both Skywalkers blinked at the young woman, then turned to stare at the rapidly reddening Ezra.

"Oh come on, like you two don't share that sort of information with your non-Jedi friends!"

"You're right," Leia said flatly. "We don't."

"You know the security protocols, Ezra. Enclave business is only discussed with those aware of its purpose and location." Luke looked back over to the frowning Sabine. "I'm not trying to cause offense, Wren, but we can't afford any slip-ups. Not after Order 66."

"No, it's fine," she assured him. "I get it. Massacres have a way of leaving the survivors ultra-paranoid."

"Exactly."

"Well, you guys wanna come in inside the _Ghost?_ If we hurry, I bet we can get to the kitchen before Zeb eats all the waffles."

The twins snickered in unison, following after the pair of rebels into their parked ship. Artoo, having dropped down from Luke's fighter, happily trundled along behind the bunch, eager to meet up with his old friend Chopper and hear about what new mischief the other astromech had been getting into since their last meeting.

"So what's the plan with you guys ousted from this last base?" Ezra asked a while later, once the group of humans were gathered around the dining table. Zeb had taken one look at them all and promptly left, muttering under his breath about trouble-attracting younglings and how he'd already washed his fur once that day, thank you very much.

"Well, some of the fleet will return to Alliance Headquarters on Yavin, while everyone else will re-deploy to bases across the galaxy. Hoth was really only a temporary place to operate from anyway, while we were still in the process of raiding every last shipment to come out of the Dakekis System." Luke explained.

"Still bites that you lost it, though."

"Yeah..." Leia frowned, contemplating. "Wonder how the Imps found us?"

-T&T-

Stopping at the Relakar refueling depot and cantina had been a mistake. Even as Shmi waited with the _Falcon_ with Threepio, who was being blessedly quiet, she kept mentally reviewing all the ways that the pause in their travels could go wrong.

'Attacked by bounty hunters' was third down on her list.

Blaster fire coming from the cantina attracted her attention, just before Han got thrown out the door. Chewie ran after him a moment later, and then the two bolted for ship.

Shmi started up the engines, watching anxiously as some oddly-garbed and heavily-armed people chased the pair. One slender figure at the back of the group caught her eye: a bald, pale-skinned woman who was smirking as she eyed the ship.

Pushing aside her uneasy feeling, Shmi waited only until she heard Chewie's holler rebounding through the halls of the _Falcon'_ before taking off.


	19. Act 4 Chapter 4

Chapter 4

"Why, exactly, are we going to Bespin?"

"Because it's the only place we _can_ get to on the amount of fuel we've got left, since those fekkin' hunters chased us out of Relakar before I was able to buy more," Han grumbled, pushing the _Falcon_ down towards the gas giant.

"Fine, but I've got a bad feel-"

"Oh no, no no no you stop right there!" He glared at the eighteen year old. "Your cousins are allowed to say that 'cause they're Jedi and have the whole 'spurts of precognition' thing going on, but you do not! So don't!"

"But-"

"Shmi, this place is run by an old friend of mine. Even if there _is_ a problem waiting for us down there, Lando won't let anything bad happen. Trust me."

"I do trust you," Shmi muttered, crossing her arms. "It's the rest of the galaxy I'm wary of."

-T&T-

"You'll never guess who I just saw at Relakar." Asajj Ventress announced as she entered her home. From where he sat reading in the main room, a man with long dreadlocks and a yellow stripe across his face let out an inquiring hum. "Han Solo and his pet wookie - and they had the twin Skywalkers' little friend with them."

Quinlan Vos looked up at her then with an arched eyebrow. "The girl from Tatooine? Interesting. Wonder what she's doing without her Jedi relatives around."

"Haven't checked the news channels on the holonet yet today, have you?"

While his wife went about removing her outer armor, Quinlan went ahead and turned on their home's holoprojector. He only needed a few moments to find a report on the Empire taking out what they believed to be the headquarters of the Rebellion and understood what Asajj was getting at. "Doesn't look too good for the rebels, does it?"

"If that was actually their main base, no." She moved to stand beside him, slipping a hand around his waist at the same time. "They're too smart to have consolidated everything someplace like Hoth. As it is, though, I think I ought to send a message off to Tano."

"Thought you didn't want anything more to do with any Jedi. Besides me, of course," Quinlan added with a smug grin. Asajj rolled her eyes at her husband.

"I don't, but this is too good an opportunity to pass up."

"Oh?"

"Fett was at that station as well, and I'm certain I saw him attach a tracking device to Solo's ship. Wherever they're headed, he'll know, and will undoubtedly sell that information to the Empire."

"Ah, I see. So you'll let the Jedi know, getting yourself into their good graces while enacting some more revenge at the same time." He pressed a quick kiss to her forehead. "Have I mentioned how much I love you lately?"

"Flatterer." Asajj turned to head for their comm console, only to pause when she detected an incoming presence in the Force. "While I'm doing this, why don't you go see what's bothering Sajon."

Blinking, Quinlan again needed a moment to figure out what his wife was talking about. Then he too felt his son's Force signature, and sighed. "Ten to one, he managed to blow up yet another engineering project."

"Then you will help him fix it, now shoo - I have an old enemy to call."

"Yes, dearest."

-T&T-

Luke glanced up in surprise when Artoo started beeping about an incoming transmission. "Who's it from, buddy?" The young man's eyebrows shot up at his astromech's answer. "Ohhh-kay, uh, go ahead and play it, then."

As the two were currently outside, tweaking some of the mechanics on the Luke's X-wing, Artoo projected the image of the incoming caller himself as a small hologram. The former Sith acolyte Asajj Ventress took one look at Luke and snorted.

"Go get your babysitter, boy, I need to talk to Tano."

"She's not around right now," he replied politely. "Do you need something or is this a social call?"

"Well, you're just as much a Skywalker as ever," Ventress huffed. "Guess I'll settle for you then - Boba Fett got a tracking device onto that flying rustbucket, the _Millennium Falcon,_ at the Relakar refueling depot; so if you don't want the Empire to get ahold of your friends and little cousin..."

"Oh, poodoo." Luke clapped a hand over his eyes. "Thanks for the tip. I'll make sure Aunt Ahsoka knows."

"Uh-huh, you do that kid." With that, the woman ended her side of the call, and Artoo let out a rude bleep.

"Yeah, I know, she's just as irritating as when I was eleven. Come on, let's go tell Leia and the others about this." Hurrying back to the _Ghost,_ Luke couldn't help but remember the first time he'd encountered the former Sith, nearly a decade before. It was just after he and his sister had revealed themselves to Vader, and were still getting used to the multitude of bounty hunters suddenly trying to capture them. Ahsoka had been close to her wit's end from the attacks when Ventress showed up one day, with a list of tips for avoiding others of her profession. She'd spent nearly the entire meeting alternating between scornful sneers and looks of calculation, neither of which had endeared the woman to Luke or Leia. Still, her advice had been helpful, and as such Ahsoka would usually recommend her for whenever the Alliance needed to contract a bounty hunter for something.

It also meant that Luke easily believed her warning about Fett and the _Falcon._

Despite having been a big help with rebellion for the last few years, Han still had a bounty on his head from a job gone bad with Jabba the Hutt that occurred when the twins were sixteen. Luke didn't know all the particulars, just that it had involved spice, lots of lost credits and serious irritation on Jabba's part.

-T&T-

Leia had picked up on her brother's anxiety before he even entered the _Ghost;_ and after hearing his recount of the brief conversation with Ventress, she agreed that it was perfectly justified.

"So, we need to figure out where they're going, and either head them off or get a warning sent in time for them to avoid the Empire." The female Skywalker concluded.

"If they refueled at Relakar, there's any number of places they could have jumped to," Sabine mused, moving to the main room's holo-table to pull up a star map.

"But only a few that they would have gone - we've got a standing deal with Han that when Shmi's with him, he doesn't go or do anything dangerous that's non-Rebellion related." Luke said as he joined her, studying the displayed systems.

"Well, why don't we just call them and ask?"

The other three all turned to stare at Ezra, who was smirking slightly as none of them had thought of the idea first.

"...Yeah," Leia couldn't help but snicker. "Let's try that."

-T&T-

C-3PO looked at the comm console with surprise, but moved to answer the incoming call regardless. "Hello, this is Cee-Threepio, Human Cyborg Relations, currently in charge of security for the _Millennium Falcon-"_

Artoo's rude beeping interrupted him.

"Well, I'm afraid they're all unavailable at the moment - our host is showing Captain Solo and Mistress Shmi around the city while Chewbacca procures more fuel for the ship-"

Again, the uppity astromech cut him off, demanding to know where they were.

"Honestly, Artoo, you're never going to make friends with that attitude."

Several more irritated whirs responded to this statement.

"Well, if it matters to Master Luke and Mistress Leia so much, you may tell them we're at Cloud City, located on the main planet of the Bespin System, and are the personal guests of Baron Administrator Lando Calrissian. Now, please tell th- oh. Oh dear."

Artoo called out worriedly as Threepio trailed off, but the protocol droid wasn't paying attention - instead, his entire focus was on the Imperial shuttle that had just touched down on a nearby landing pad, and opened to emit Darth Vader with an entire contingent of stormtroopers.


	20. Act 4 Chapter 5

Chapter 5

"I'm sorry," Lando said as Han and Shmi found themselves surrounded by stormtroopers. "They called just before you all got here."

Even hopelessly outnumbered, Han did his best to protect the eighteen year old, but was inevitably separated from her by the troopers. As Shmi was dragged off in a different direction, he bellowed every curse he could think of, threatening all sorts of bodily harm to both Lando and the Imperials if they hurt her.

"Cease your yammering, Solo." He jerked with surprise at the sudden arrival of Vader's booming voice, and somewhere in the back of his mind Han wondered how the kriff the Sith had managed to sneak up on him. "The Lars girl is in no immediate danger. You, however, will shortly find yourself separated from your head if you do not _be SILENT."_

Reluctantly, Han shut his trap.

"Excellent. Now, you are going to go with my men and make the wookie surrender, before telling us everything you know about the Rebellion and their bases of operation."

"Ke'slanar epar gar cetare!" Han snarled, using an insult he'd learned from Tano's Captain Rex a while back. He didn't think Vader knew Mando'a, but the man would surely recognize the intent behind the words.

Judging by the constricting of the air around his throat, Han figured he probably did.

"Do not overestimate how valuable you are to me alive, Solo." Vader leaned forward to get right in Han's face. "Continue testing my patience, and I will not hesitate to execute you here and now."

Even as the words formed on his lips, Han knew they were a mistake. "Somehow, I don't think that would do anything to endear you to Leia." He'd later swear that the temperature in the room dropped at least ten degrees in the silence following his statement.

"And what, is _that,_ supposed to mean?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, your Exalted Bucket-headedness."

Han couldn't say he was surprised when Vader physically grabbed his neck and lifted him into the air.

"I should think," the Sith growled. "You would no better than to attempt to toy with me, Solo." With that, he threw the Correllian man back into the hands of the stormtroopers, ordering them to take to him where the wookie was about to be ambushed.

As he was marched off, Han wished his hands weren't bound, so that he could rub at his bruised neck. Idly, he wondered how berserk Chewie would go if told about how he got hurt, and whether the wookie would then take out his fury on Vader for doing the inflicting or Han himself for being stupid enough to insinuate his having a relationship with Leia.

...On second thought, Chewbacca would probably smack him around on principle. Maybe he'd go ahead and keep quiet on the whole matter.

-T&T-

"We're coming too-"

"No, Ezra." Leia didn't even bother to look at the other Jedi as she hurried to refuel her X-wing. "You guys have to stay here with the _Ghost_ for when Aunt Soka and the others get back from their mission."

"Oh, that's going to be a fun conversation - hey, Ahsoka, you know those crazy twins you've been raising for twenty two years? Yeah, they've gone off to rescue their step-cousin and confront an evil Sith Lord, so you probably won't be seeing them alive again."

"Careful, you're going to start sounding as pessimistic as my brother."

"I heard that!" Luke called from where he was helping Artoo back into his fighter.

"But seriously, Bridger," Leia went on, ignoring her brother. "We'll need reinforcements. That's not being debated here. It's just that we'd prefer to have three more Jedi show up rather than one tag along with us from the start."

"Don't let Zeb or Sabine here you say that." Ezra smiled weakly. "They hate being discounted in favor of us Force-users."

"Which is completely understandable, considering they helped you guys take down the last of those Inquisitors." Offering her friend a fist to bump, Leia smirked. "So, be ready to take off and come after us, but only once our aunt and Kanan are aboard, okay?"

"Yes, fine, but if you guys get killed because we weren't there in time, I am so not taking the blame."

-T&T-

The girl was tucked into a ball on the cell's far bench when Vader walked in. She lifted her head, staring at him, but otherwise didn't move.

"You," he said firmly. "Are going to tell me everything you know of the Skywalker twins."

"Forget it, Vader." Her tone was weary, but firm. "I'm not giving you their strengths and weaknesses to play off of. I won't betray my cousins like that."

The Sith took as deep a breath as his respirator would allow. "That is not, necessarily, the information I'm looking for." Shmi Lars stared at him, brow wrinkled in confusion, before the light of understanding suddenly dawned across her face.

"You just want to know your kids, don't you?"

His silence was telling. A grin tugged at the girl's lips.

"Alright. I'll tell you a little of what I've learned about them over the last few years, but I want one thing in return."

Reluctantly, Vader nodded. "One thing within reason."

"Oh, it's reasonable all right." Her grin grew wider, teasing. "I want your permission to call you Uncle Vader."

The silence stretched on for a good two minutes before he recovered himself enough to speak. "What?"

"I want, your permission, to address you as Uncle Vader, here or in public as I chose."

"...I feel as though I should refuse as a matter of principle."

The girl's expression turned smug. "The choice is yours, of course, but that is my price." She didn't back down even as Vader growled.

"Very well. You may address me as such in return for truthful information of the twins."

"It's a deal." Shmi hopped to her feet and stuck out her right hand. After a moment's bemusement, Vader shook it.

What followed was an hour filled with the retellings of pranks, arguments, minor adventures and major parties. While the girl did her best to leave out information related to the size of various rebel groups and weaknesses of her allies, Vader was still able to pick up valuable tidbits here and there. More important to him, however, was the clearer images he gained of his children.

Leia clearly took after her father, inheriting his temper and recklessness. She was balanced by her brother, though, as it seemed that Luke gained his mother's great patience and capacity for calming others. Both were regarded as the strongest Jedi of their generation, something Vader had mixed feelings about - while glad to know the twins was talented Force-users, he wasn't happy about the two of them learning only the crippling teachings of the defunct Order.

The Dark Side was what mattered, what would give them the strength to survive whatever the galaxy threw at the pair. And he was determined to ensure that they learned from him, whether the twins were willing at first or not.

When Shmi ran dry of stories to tell, Vader decided to bring up what Han Solo had said to him earlier. After insisting on hearing an exact repeat of the man's words, she sat back on her bench with a bemused expression.

"Well?" Vader demanded. "Is there a relationship between them or not?"

"Oh, Han's definitely in love with Leia, and I'm pretty sure she is with him too." Shmi waved a dismissive hand, contemplating. "But for him to outright _admit_ it like that is a huge step - I thought they'd be dancing around one another for years until I or someone else locked them in a closet together."

Vader nearly choked at that mental image.

"But if Han decided to come out with it, she won't be far behind! And once they're together, I'll be able to focus just on making Luke outright agree he's got a huge crush on Mara - that woman's at least been making her intentions towards him clear for a while now."

Having a strong suspicion that 'Mara' was one of the young Jedi who'd been leading some of the worst sabotage campaigns against the Empire, and that he wouldn't approve of her any more than he did Solo, Vader decided to change the subject. "You said that the twins are good pilots?"

"They're the best! Nobody ever wants to go up against them in the practice dog-fights, except for the other Jedi who can hold their own a while, and my friend Biggs - everytime he thinks he'll be able to come out on top, only to get his shebs kicked."

"I see."

"Ahsoka's the one who taught them back in the day, but even she admits that the twins are better than her now..." Shmi went on, but Vader was distracted by a pang in his heart.

 _Come on Snips, it's not that hard!_

 _I KNOW how to pilot a starfighter, Skyguy._

 _How to pilot, sure, but you aren't letting the Force guide your actions - not just when it comes to dodging enemy fire, but in being aware of where all the ships are, and how to guide your own in order to best take out those vulture droids..._

Forcing himself back to the present, Vader belatedly realized the girl had stopped talking and was looking at him with a sad expression.

"What?"

"I don't have to see your face to know you miss the past." She told him in a soft voice. Stiffening, he reined back the desire to let loose a vehement denial.

Instead, he responded in a like tone. "You are very perceptive for a non-Force sensitive."

The girl shrugged. "Dad liked to say that, even if we didn't share blood, some of Grandmother Shmi's soul must've become part of me when I was given her name."

More memories attempted to surface in Vader's mind at _that_ statement, but instead he stood and moved towards the cell door. "I do not know when I will return, but I can promise you will not be disturbed until I do." With that, he left, and went to go find something to rage against. Solo would make an excellent punching bag...

Before he could reach the cell being shared by the Correllian and his wookiee, however, Vader came across a pair of stormtroopers escorting a golden protocol droid down the hallway.

A very _familiar_ droid.

It only took a moment to send the troopers on their way, and then the Sith was alone with C-3PO. "I did not think to ever see you again."

"Prior to today, I had thought and hoped for the same." Threepio replied, in as haughty a voice as Vader had ever heard from him. "After you brutally attacked Mistress Padme, I swore to kick you should we ever cross paths again." With that, the droid carefully balanced on one leg and struck Vader's shin with the other.

Torn between laughing at Threepio or ripping him apart with the Force, the Sith decided to take a neutral course of action and shove him into an empty cell. "Just for that, droid, I won't let you see any of the other rebels we've captured."

"It doesn't matter, Master Luke and Mistress Leia will arrive soon enough to rescue us- oh." Threepio's voice suddenly went from righteous indignation to horror. "Oh, I should not have said that."

"Don't blame yourself," Vader informed him smugly. "I'd already planned on luring them here with my bait."


	21. Act 4 Chapter 6

_A/N: I case any of you were wondering, when Han insulted Vader in Mando'a in the last chapter, he was saying: "Go eat your boots!"_

 _Anywho._

 _This and one more chapter for Act IV, and then I'll be taking some time off until the New Year to build back up my pre-written chapters. Hope you all enjoy!_

 _-Tri_

Chapter 6

Arriving in the Bespin system, Luke and Leia took their X-wings into the upper atmosphere of the gas giant on the far side from Cloud City. Circling around the planet, each twin kept their mental shields tightly clamped, fully aware that Vader was waiting for them.

The two just hoped that he hadn't hurt their friends.

As soon as they got to the city, the twins rose up and found a convenient landing pad to set their fighters down on. "Go find the _Falcon,_ Artoo," Leia told the astromech as soon as the three of them were standing together. "Make sure it's ready for take-off as soon as possible."

"You realize we're probably going to have to give up the X-wings." Luke stated as their droid headed off. "The instant anyone realizes a jailbreak's going down, any and every Imperial here will be after us. There probably won't be any time to get back here."

"Good thing we've got our handy-dandy self-destruct triggers then."

-T&T-

When a report reached him of two wrecked X-wing fighters on one of the eastern landing pads, Vader knew his children had arrived. He immediately left the luxurious office room he'd been waiting in and headed towards the detention area. Before getting there, however, he paused to speak with a waiting man in Mandalorian armor.

"You may take your prize and leave, Fett."

The bounty hunter inclined his head. "Lord Vader." With that, the two went their separate ways, with one considering how best to slip off unnoticed and the other internally grinning over his success in getting rid of a nuisance.

-T&T-

"What do you mean, they aren't here?" Leia demanded. Chewie let out a mournful howl, explaining that Han had been dragged off less than an hour before, while he hadn't seen either Shmi or Threepio since being captured.

While his sister immediately moved to begin opening all the nearby cells, Luke extended his senses, searching for nearby lifeforms. He was able to detect their step-cousin a hallway over, as well as someone else hurrying towards their location.

The finely-dressed man hadn't taken so much as two steps into the male Skywalker's view when he caught in a Force-pull and dropped unceremoniously to the ground in front of Chewbacca. Roaring, the wookie hauled him upright and began to shake the newcomer.

"Wait- hold it- I'm sor- would you just- hey- quit it!"

"Easy there, Chewie." Luke soothed, stepping closer to address the newcomer. "Who are you?"

"Lando Calrissian," he replied, scowling. "And I'm afraid I'm the one who's gotten you all in this mess."

"How so?" Leia demanded, appearing on Chewbacca's other side with Threepio trailing after her.

Carefully, Calrissian told them an abridged version of the day's events, not glossing over the facts of his betrayal but also emphasizing the risks he'd taken in trying to ensure no one was hurt. "Vader pulled a fast one at the last second, though. He had Han frozen in carbonite, then handed him over to a bounty hunter by the name of Boba Fett just a few minutes ago."

Luke easily sensed it when Leia's fury was about to break free, and quickly set about trying to calm her down. "Frozen isn't the same as dead, Sky Two. We'll get him back."

"We'd better. What about Shmi?"

"She's been left alone in another cell. Vader interrogated her for a long while, but I don't think she's hurt."

"Alright then. Chewie, you and Threepio go get Shmi, then head for the _Falcon,_ Artoo's already there. Leia and I will try to head off Fett before he leaves with Han. And as for you," Luke leveled a glare at Calrissian. "I don't really care what you do at this point, but make sure it doesn't interfere with us and we won't cause your city to suffer an unfortunate loss of power."

The man nodded. "Understood. I'm going to have my citizens evacuate and then get out myself - hopefully the confusion will distract the Imperials and give you all a better chance at getting away." He hesitated for a moment, before adding, "And I am sorry. Han's an old friend - I thought I could keep him alive by cooperating with Vader's forces."

Recognizing his sincerity, the twins nodded, then turned and sprinted away.

-T&T-

Vader paused as he caught a flicker through the Force: his children were moving away from the detention area. Despite their heavy shielding, he was still able to get a sense of their location, and realized the pair were going after Fett and Solo.

Needing them to return to the vicinity of the freezing chamber, he sent out an order for all stormtroopers to fill the halls surrounding the landing pad the bounty hunter was set to leave from momentarily. Then, Vader changed his own direction, planning to position himself to best be able to trap the twins when they reached the correct spot.

Which, did not happen.

Fett was at least able to take off with his frozen prize, and as soon as they realized it pointless to continuing battling through the troopers Luke and Leia turned around. Upon reaching the right area, though, they apparently sensed Vader as he'd been sensing them, and halted. Recognizing that the pair were attempting to find a route out of their predicament, the Sith strode forward to the service hallway where they'd stopped, determined to battle the pair into submission if they refused to fall into the freezing chamber.

The two were ready and waiting with their lightsabers activated when he entered the tunnel-like hall. Vader activated his own weapon, pushing away the Force's warning of something about to go wrong.

His children were within his sight once again after three long years of hiding amongst the rebel forces. Nothing would take them away from him again.

-T&T-

"They did _what."_

Ezra cringed in the face of Ahsoka's anger. "Um. Went to go rescue Shmi, Han, Chewbacca and Threepio from Vader?"

" _Where._ "

"Bespin system. Cloud City."

Hera growled from beside Ahsoka. "Calrissian again. That sleemo probably turned them over to save his own skin."

"We don't have time to worry about that," Kanan cut in, setting a hand on both the twi'lek and togruta's shoulders to calm them down. "Ezra, get a fuel transfer from the _Ghost_ into the _Phantom._ Tell Sabine and Zeb to be ready on the turrets. Hera, love-"

"Chopper and I will get us to Bespin as quickly as possible," she said, already heading for the freighter's cockpit.

"Ahsoka?" The human Jedi met his friend's gaze. "It'll take us a few hours to get there. Do you want to use my cabin to meditate until then?"

Taking a deep breath, Ahsoka gave him a stiff nod. She knew, though, that there would be no inner peace to be found until her younglings were in safe hands again.

-T&T-

Dueling in a well-lit, wide hallway was one thing. Two Jedi against one Sith in a much smaller, darker space, with easily broken walls and windows was quite another.

The twins could tell that Vader's admiration was swiftly turning to irritation as the fight stretched on through the underbelly of Cloud City - his strikes were growing more wild, his anger rising and not being channeled quite as efficiently.

With their duel moving out onto a walkway overlooking what would be a nasty fall, both the twins were trying to be cautious without exposing any weakness. Vader would block a series of strikes from Luke, then have to twist around to retaliate against Leia's attacks. Hampered as they were, the pair were still trying to make use of their usual tag-team tactics, which typically saw them come out of any battle the victors.

All at once, though Leia was caught by a massive Force-blast and thrown against the railing of the walkway, very nearly tumbling over the edge. Luke cried out in protest, his block against the crimson lightsaber coming just a moment too slow-

Leia screamed.

Vader paused.

And Luke stared at where his hand had fallen to the floor, disconnected from the rest of his body.

Then the pain swept over him, and it was all the young man could do not to pass out. He did fall to his knees, though, left hand clutching at the stump of his right. Luke didn't see Vader reaching to grasp his shoulder.

His sister did, though.

" _Don't you touch him!"_ In moments, Leia was standing between the two of them, Luke's lightsaber snatched up and held in a reverse-grip defensive position alongside her own. " _Don't you DARE touch him!"_

"I did not mean for-"

Snarling, the woman didn't give him a chance to finish. Leia lept forward, whirling both lightsabers as she drove Vader several steps back down the walkway. Her furious anger caused the Jedi's strikes to grow a bit more wild, something that, even through his befuddled state, Luke could sense Vader was pleased with. Desperate to stop his sister before she accidentally went too far, the youth staggered to his feet.

Vader, meanwhile, was on the one hand glad his daughter was finally starting to embrace the power of the Dark Side, but on the other more than a tad concerned she would become injured herself in trying to kill him. Allowing Leia to push him back but not giving her a single opening to exploit, the Sith lord hoped to outlast her in their new duel, wear out the young woman so that he had a chance to speak.

He wasn't expecting Luke to suddenly jump into the field of battle, fully slamming his own body into his sister's. And none of them expected the momentum of that launch to then send both twins over the railing.

Leia reacted on an instinct, releasing both lightsabers in order to grasp the back of her brother's jumpsuit with one hand and the edge of the platform with the other. All her previous battle rage vanished in an instant, replaced instead with a cold dread as the strength of her fingers was all that kept the pair of Jedi from falling to their deaths.

Above them, Vader powered down his own weapon, clipping it to his belt as he hastened to kneel beside where the twins dangled. "Younglings-"

"Back off, Vader, or I swear I'll let go," Leia warned, in an effort to keep the Sith away from her brother.

"You will not. You cannot bring yourself to sacrifice Luke's life along with your own." The man's confidence was only a veneer, though. Inside, he was close to panic.

"The- kriff, she- can't!" The other Jedi bit out, twisting slightly in order to look up at them. "We go- together- or not, at all."

"Then come with me," Vader implored them, hand inching closer to grasping onto Leia's wrist. "Learn the ways of the Dark Side. Become stronger together, and with me, we will conquer the galaxy, reshape it to match the dream that Pa- that your mother would have wanted." It was a desperate gamble, yet even so, he could not quite bring himself to say his deceased wife's name.

Unfortunately for Vader, it was exactly the wrong thing to say.

Leia's expression turned icily blank as she stared into the red eyelets that hid her father's gaze. "No. Padme Skywalker would have never wanted a dictatorship ruled by her family." And with that, she released her grip, using a little Force push in order to avoid Vader's desperate lunge. The last thing the Sith Lord saw of his children before they fell were their eyes, looking back at him with a terrifyingly calm acceptance.


	22. Act 4 Chapter 7

Chapter 7

A wave of emotion in the Force had Ahsoka stiffening where she sat in the small shuttle. Across the aisle from her, Kanan and Ezra felt it as well.

"The twins...?" The younger Jedi asked, nervously looking from his mentor to the Togruta and back.

"Hera." Ahsoka called out to their pilot. "Hurry."

Acknowledging, the twi'lek woman pushed the _Phantom_ as quickly as it could go through the cloudy skies of the gas giant planet.

-T&T-

"Luke, I swear to the Force, if we get out of this alive, I'm going to kill you myself," Leia groaned. Her brother mumbled something in response, his coherency dwindling by the minute.

Somehow, by a supreme twist of fate, the twins survived their fall through the bowels of Cloud City, and then were sent out a disposal shoot straight onto one of the communications' arrays. And so, the pair were left clinging to slim metal rods, the more conscious of the two doing her best to keep the other from slipping away.

And then, salvation arrived.

From out of the cloud bank below them, a familiar spacecraft rose up towards the twins, with a very welcome group of Force signatures inside of it. Leia let out a strained yet relieved chuckle, carefully shifting herself around to better be able to drop her twin through the _Phantom's_ top hatch as soon as it was close enough.

The metal door slid aside, and Ahsoka was waiting just beneath it. She held out her arms, allowing Leia the chance to finally ease her hold on both Luke and herself.

"Come on," Ahsoka said as soon as she'd helped both twins down into the ship. "Let's get you two cleaned up."

-T&T-

Han was gone.

For the first time in her life, Leia could suddenly understand why her father had gone so completely into the Dark side. That indescribable pain of losing someone dearly loved could oh so easily turn to rage and fury, overwhelming every other thought and emotion in a single-minded drive for _vengeance_.

When the _Phantom_ finally met back up with the _Ghost_ and _Millennium Falcon_ after fleeing Bespin, and the young woman was told the news, she could barely contain her emotions. Leia was unable to say whether or not she'd end up smashing everything around her to smithereens, followed by destroying whatever and _who_ ever got in her way of retrieving Han.

But then they arrived at the Rebel fleet's main base, and Ahsoka led her to a nearby bench, wrapping both her arms and Force presence around Leia, keeping the younger female centered as Luke was taken off to the medical bay.

"Peace, little one," her mother figure murmured, and gradually, Leia's dark emotions dissipated, released into the Force. She was left exhausted, remaining awake only until the doctors said her brother was stable. Then Leia allowed herself to pass out, completely unaware of Chewbacca lifting her and Ahsoka leading him to temporary quarters for the Jedi.

-T&T-

When Luke's eyes first fluttered open, he immediately shut them again against the bright light. From somewhere off to his left, a familiar voice chuckled.

"Now now, youngling, you aren't going to simply be able to close your eyes to ward off your troubles. Best go ahead and get it over with."

Despite himself, Luke couldn't repress a small twitch of his lips. "Hello, Uncle Obi."

"And a good morning to you as well, Luke." The older Jedi's Force signature reached out to touch Luke's own, and he accepted the wave of reassurance like a breath of fresh air. With Obi-wan helping to anchor him, the young man opened himself to touch base with all his most recent memories.

Battling Vader aboard Cloud City.

Losing his hand on the walkway.

Stopping Leia from descending into madness, and subsequently encouraging her to send them both to the depths.

"So, unless something catastrophic happened while we were busy on Bespin, you're not dead and neither am I." Luke guessed, opening his eyes again and squinting.

"Excellent deduction, my boy." Obi-wan smiled back at him, his worn brown robes looking very much out of place in the sterile white environment of the medical bay.

"How long have I been here?"

"Oh, only a few hours. But, while you were unconscious, the doctors went ahead and got that ready." Gaze following his uncle's gesture, Luke had to swallow back an _oh_ at seeing the prosthetic hand attached to his right arm. Without the maintenance panels being open, revealing the circuitry, he wouldn't have been able to see a difference between it and the real, flesh and blood thing. Beyond seeing, though, there was a block in the Force, which told the young man without a doubt he was dealing with a piece of machinery.

"Ahsoka thought it might be a good idea were I here when you awoke," Obi-wan went on, being deliberately nonchalant. "Seeing as I was the first person to help Anakin through losing his own dominant hand."

"...That was on Geonosis, wasn't it?"

"Mm-hm, battling Count Dooku, a most elegant and refined Sith if ever there was one. Sidious may enjoy putting on vulgar displays with his accumulated wealth, but Dooku always kept his tastes, not simple, that isn't the right word for it, but restrained. Tasteful." The man went on to detail some of his encounters with the long-dead Sith lord, taking Luke's mind off of his current problems.

Watching through the door's window, Ahsoka smiled and shook her head. Trust Obi-wan to know how to deal with distracting a Skywalker.

"Master Tano?" Approaching from down the hall were Katooni and Petro, looking oddly uneasy despite their tough pirate appearances.

"Luke's fine," Ahsoka told them. "But somehow, I doubt that's what you were coming to ask."

"Well, it is a good thing to know." Katooni smiled. "But yes, you're right. We wanted to let you know that Zatt got word of Boba Fett being spotted at a cantina in the V'shiek system."

"We're heading out with the _Saber_ in a little bit to see if we can catch up to him, but thought we'd better check first to see if you or Leia want to come with us." Petro added.

Ahsoka only had to think it over for a few moments. "No. Leia's not emotionally up to this hunt, and even if she were, I wouldn't recommend her leaving Luke while he's still in recovery mode."

"And you?"

"I need to be with my kids." She gave each of the younger Jedi a gentle nudge in the Force. "But thanks for thinking of me. Keep us updated of your progress, and don't put yourselves in unnecessary danger, alright? Much as Han needs to be rescued, doing so isn't worth losing your lives."

"Of course, Ahsoka." Katooni gave her a hug while Petro settled for a clap on the Togruta's shoulder, and then they headed off to their ship. Rather than return to observing Luke and Obi-wan, or going back to where Shmi waited for Leia to wake up, Ahsoka went to find Rex. She needed some comfort of her own after the day's terrible losses.

While walking through the corridors, though, Ahsoka suddenly paused. A tiny ripple in the Force had caught her attention, and the Jedi focused on it.

 _Grief... Regret... Younglings... Padme..._

Startled into stepping back into herself, to say Ahsoka was floored was a drastic understatement. She suddenly had to find Rex even more than anticipated, in order to share and attempt to make sense of the new piece of intelligence she'd just gleaned from the man who'd once been her master:

Vader was off-balance.

He'd been shaken by witnessing his children so blatantly profess their preference of death to standing by his side. And within the far corners of his withered heart, there lay a spark that was fighting back against the darkness...

 _A/N: Quick reminder, I won't be back until partway through January, so I'm gonna wish you all a happy holiday season now! Have fun, be safe, and I look forward to enjoying your reviews in the new year!_

 _-Triscribe_


	23. Act 5 Chapter 1

Act V - A New Order

Chapter 1

Jabba the Hutt's palace was designed more to resemble a fortress. It had been carved and built straight into the mountainside, an imposing structure by any means. Walls too thick to be taken down by anything other than heavy duty tanks, too tall and smooth to be scaled quickly enough to avoid being spotted by the guards. And what guards they were - the meanest of the mean, chosen for their brute strength and intimidating nature, the Gamorreans weren't the sort that could be easily overpowered.

So, sneaking inside would require trickery.

Two figures carefully headed up the ramp towards the main gate, keeping slow and steady so as to allow the sentries there plenty of time to see them coming. Each wore a long, plain robe, hiding their faces and disguising their figures. Neither spoke aloud - they didn't need to.

 _I still think we could have come up with a better idea,_ Luke mentally sighed.

 _Have confidence, dear brother._ Leia replied, her tone brooking no argument. _This will work._

 _I'm sure it will, but I'm still uneasy. There was always the chance of a better opportunity to occur later, but YOU didn't want to be patient._

 _If it were Mara in there, you wouldn't want to be either._

Luke couldn't argue with that.

The two finally reached the final few yards before the gate, and a guard called out for them to halt. He approached with another pair a few steps behind him, demanding that the strangers show their identification and explain what business they had at the palace.

"We've come to have a word with your master," Luke said evenly, as both he and Leia drew aside their robes to reveal the lightsabers at their hips.

After losing their original weapons at Bespin nearly half a year before, the twins went through a process Ahsoka taught to them, which Master Yoda had passed on to her, in which they used the Force to shape new kyber crystals more highly attuned to themselves. Around those crystals they'd crafted new hilts as well, each distinct and yet clearly resembling the other.

And for the Gamorreans, this was all the identification required.

The lead guard grunted, turning to signal for the gate to be opened. Luke and Leia both nodded to him as they stepped past, walking straight into the stronghold.

Atop a cliff several miles away, an old man wearing heavily scarred white and blue armor smiled. "Now that's a level of audacity even the General himself never quite reached." The Togruta beside him chuckled, while behind them, her golden protocol droid carried on commiserating with a reprogrammed KX Imperial security droid.

"I told them time and again that the odds of this plan succeeding with no disastrous interruptions were a hundred and forty thousand, three hundred thirty-seven to one, but did they listen?" The protocol droid complained. "No, not at all. They deliberately ignored my warnings and went anyway. No appreciation in the slightest."

"You should consider yourself lucky." His companion said. "I often get told to shut up when my analysis is unwanted."

"Oh, yes, that happens quite often too. General Solo would be most vocal when giving his iteration. He was highly insulting about it, too!"

The taller droid tilted his cranial unit to one side. "Did you point this out to your humans and encourage them not to go through with a rescue operation for Solo?"

"No. I saw what happened when one of the pilots suggested that very thing. Not only did Mistress Leia throw him into a wall with the Force, but all of Rogue Squadron began a campaign to torment the poor wretch every minute of the day."

"Ah."

-T&T-

"Greetings, Great Jabba," Luke said with his best diplomatic voice. Beside him, Leia was giving an internal eye roll, to which her brother responded with the mental equivalent of an elbow to the ribs. "My name is Luke Skywalker, and this is my sister Leia."

The massive Hutt rumbled out a response, which his translator droid repeated in Basic. "The Mighty Jabba is aware of who you are, Twins of the Sky. But he would like to know what your business here is."

"We've come to help you settle an old debt of yours, Jabba."

Luke's unexpected words were enough to set everyone besides the two Jedi off laughing. It lasted for several minutes, until Jabba recovered himself enough to speak again.

"A debt of the Illustrious Jabba's? He has no debts - others, have debts, to _him._ " Somehow, despite maintaining a bland tone, the droid still managed to convey the obvious derision in the Hutt's translated words.

Leia spoke next. "I'm sure if you think back to an event some twenty four years ago, Mighty Jabba, you'll know of what we speak." Only Luke picked up on her ever-so-slight sarcasm with the word 'mighty'.

 _Y'know, it's probably a good thing I'm the one the Alliance assigns to diplomatic stuff - you'd have gotten us all into a dozen more wars by now with that sharp tongue of yours._

 _Oh, hush,_ Leia retorted.

"If the Sky Twins are referring to the last Skywalker returning Great Jabba's son Rotta after his kidnapping in the Clone Wars, that debt was already repaid, by allowing the Republic access to Hutt-controlled hyperspace lanes."

"That is not, in fact, what we are referring to." This time, Jabba didn't laugh, instead narrowing his eyes at the pair. "Our father and surrogate-aunt returned your son, true, but my sister and I instead mean the debt owed to our mother, Padme Amidala Skywalker, former Senator of Naboo, who uncovered your uncle Zero's treachery on Coruscant."

Jabba blinked.

Others in the room waited with baited breath to see what his reaction would be. After a few moments, the massive Hutt gestured to his advisors, conversing with quiet words that the droid did not translate.

Eventually, Jabba looked back to the twins, his gaze contemplating, and began to speak.

"The Magnanimous Jabba knows that you must have come a long way to speak with him," the droid quickly began. "He offers his hospitality, including rooms to rest and refresh yourselves in before this matter is discussed in the morning."

"That is agreeable," Luke said before his sister could say something impulsive. "And we thank you for the offer, Great Jabba."

-T&T-

Ahsoka yawned as she approached the old armor-wearing man still standing at the cliff's edge. "Any action, Rex?"

"Nothing yet since they went in, General," the clone trooper replied, handing a set of binoculars over to her. "You'd know if something went wrong though, wouldn't you?"

"That's the hope, anyway," she muttered, accepting them for a quick scan of the palace.

"'Hope'? What about that Master-Padawan bond you've had with the twins for ages now?"

"It's been fading pretty rapidly this last year, Rexter. We maintained the link even after Master Yoda Knighted them because of its use to the Rebellion, but Luke and Leia had to grow up sometime. They're fully fledged Jedi now, and that means only a few traces of the bond remain."

"Great." Rex rubbed at his face sighing.

"No need to look so down - we just have sit tight until our contact-"

"Captain Rex! General Tano!" They both turned at the call, looking to where a thin man in pilot's gear was leaning out the open door of the transport ship they'd come in. "We got the call!"

"Be there in a minute, Rook!" Ahsoka acknowledged, before nudging her old friend. "See? Having our people already on the inside makes the faded bond a non-issue."

"If you say so, General."

 _A/N: And we're back! I apologize for not having this out a week earlier, but after watching Rogue One I knew I needed to re-write some pieces of the infiltration of Jabba's Palace. I'm sure you all noticed the first couple cameos in the chapter, and I can promise more to come!_

 _I can also confidently say this story will be finished by my birthday, which is in March. Now, before anyone starts bemoaning the dreaded The End, I'll gleefully say that there's a next generation based sequel in the works, as well as all my other AU stories in the Collection, of course._

 _Hope everyone had a great winter break and holiday season, and has an even better start to the new year!_

 _-Tri_


	24. Act 5 Chapter 2

Chapter 2

"Huh. Have to say I'm surprised that he stuck us in one of the nicer rooms," Leia muttered as soon as their escort left the pair alone. They were standing in a large suite area, with attached bath and bedrooms, all lavishly furnished. Luke quickly moved towards the lone window, peering around the darkening landscape outside.

"Unfortunately, I _can't_ say I'm surprised we aren't in a good position to signal Aunt Soka and Uncle Rex." The young man shook his head, turning back towards his sister. "When do you think the others will get in touch with us?"

She frowned. "Not for a while yet, I'd say. Probably closer towards the middle of the night than now."

"I'll take first watch, then, if you want."

"Ohhh no, I remember what happened the last time you did that - I woke up at dawn in a camp full of fresh whis-bull droppings with _you_ asleep at your post!"

The twins continued to bicker, grinning all the while, as they inspected the rooms for surveillance devices and secret entrances. Finding one such hidden door, they quickly shifted one of the chairs in front of it, the better to trip up anyone who came through. Once the place was clean of cameras or listening bugs, the pair dared to relax.

A little while later, two droids followed by a human guard entered, each carrying a tray of food and drinks. Luke and Leia thanked them, gesturing for the meals to be set down on the low central table, and waited for the servers to depart again.

The guard closed the door behind them, before turning to face the pair of Jedi. "Well, stage one is complete," Cassian Andor said as he peeled off his helmet. "I'm not entirely certain how well stage two will go, however."

"Don't worry, Captain," Leia grinned. "We're ready to handle any complications."

"Maybe so, but I'd feel a lot better once we get straight just what those complications might _be,_ and what you two have in store for them."

Nodding their agreement, the twins gestured for him to join them by the table, and all three munched on the available food as they discussed the palace's layout, security, booby-traps, and, most importantly, Han's locations. Leia outright growled when she learned that Jabba had set him up as a wall ornament, still frozen in carbonite.

For the better part of a year, the twins and their friends in the Alliance had been chasing Boba Fett all around the Outer Rim, only for him to finally pull a fast one a couple months before in slipping Han to one of Jabba's regular supply deliverers. The bounty hunter continued his evasions as if he were still holding the Correllian prisoner, keeping the pair of Skywalkers focused on him until a dream vision tipped Luke off to where they'd find their friend. A bit of infiltration later, and their spy confirmed Han's presence on Tatooine, prompting a change in plans.

They still had Shmi and Biggs chasing Fett, in order to keep up the pretense of falling for his ruse. In the meantime, though, the Jedi set up a plan with the Rogue One team to rescue Han.

"I can try to redirect the central room's guards when the midnight shift swaps out with the early morning one," Cassian murmured, idly fiddling with a tilberry. "It would give you perhaps a ten minute opening to get Solo down from the wall bracket, but I wouldn't recommend waking him up until all three of you are safely out of the fortress entirely.

Leia bristled, but reluctantly calmed when Luke spoke up. "Carbonite-sickness, sis. We don't know what side-effects he'll be suffering from - and an extra hour inside the stuff at this point won't make a difference."

"Fine. But as soon as we're on the ship, we get him out."

"Agreed."

"In that case," Cassian said, fighting back a yawn, "I'll tell the others, to prepare, to, ah... Huh." Across from him, the twins blinked in confusion as the man grew visibly sleepy right before their eyes. Then Luke yawned as well, as Leia started to tip sideways in her seat.

Cassian was the first to slip into slumber, berry dropping from his limp fingers. The twins tried to get back to their feet when they realized what was happening, but whatever drugs had entered their bodies worked to quickly. Less than two minutes later, all three humans were out cold.

Not long after that, the main door to their chambers opened again, revealing a group of Gamorreans. They snorted and snuffled amongst themselves, picking up the trio before departing the room again.

-T&T-

Half a galaxy away, Darth Vader paused in his paperwork.

A slight tremor in the Force had caught his attention, by simple dint of resonating with the signatures unique to his children. Tentatively, Vader extended his senses outward, trying in vain to tamp down the hope that either or both of the twins had called for him.

No such luck.

Luke and Leia were as silent in the Force as ever.

...too silent.

-T&T-

Stifling a groan, Luke blearily blinked his eyes open, wondering why he seemed to be lying on a cold stone surface.

After a moment's inspection, it turned out to be because he was, in fact, sprawled across the floor of a chilly room carved directly out of bedrock.

"I," he announced to the dim space around him. "Am never eating another tilberry ever again."

"That makes two of us," a sour voice answered, from what sounded like the next cell over. Carefully, Luke pushed himself upright, before leaning against a wall as he head began to spin.

"Are you alright, Captain?"

"Just fine." The older man grumbled. "My partner is never going to let me hear the end of this, though."

Luke couldn't help the slight snicker that escaped his lips. As automatic as breathing, he tried to mentally nudge Leia with his amusement, only to stiffen when the Force moved out of reach. Panic surged, before he fought it back down.

"Where's my sister?"

Cassian didn't have time to answer the young man's concerned query before a groan came from another nearby cell.

"Kriff!" Sighing in relief, Luke slumped back again as he listened to his twin let out a stream of profanity. When faced with the disturbing sensation of being able to sense the Force, but not not work with it, the sound of Leia cursing their captors with every foul word she knew in six different languages was very welcome - it meant she was still alive and not being held prisoner out of reach, after all.

The memory of their brief imprisonment aboard the Death Star flashed through his mind, amusing Luke with the thought that Jabba was a more considerate jailer than Vader...

-T&T-

"Something's wrong."

Ahsoka closed her eyes and sighed. Next to her, Rec automatically stiffened, waiting for more information. Even K-2SO and C-3PO quit their quiet grumbling in order to pay attention.

Bodhi Rook concentrated on the encrypted message coming through, paling as he deciphered it piece by piece. "Jabba went for a double cross. He drugged the food sent up to the twins - kriff, and Cassian must have eaten some of it too. All three of them are down in the cells."

"What about the others, Lieutenant?"

"...No, none of them have been compromised. But," Bodhi looked up at the clone and Jedi anxiously. "This really throws a spanner in the hyperdrive."

Ahsoka let out another sigh. "Understatement. Alright, we'll give them half a solar cycle to try and sort this out themselves. After that, though, Rex and I are taking over."

The trooper grimaced, but nodded his agreement. "I'll make sure the grappling lines are in working order." He headed off, Bodhi returned to their ship's comm to send a message reply, and the droids started up their renewed complaints while Ahsoka reached into the Force.

Both Luke and Leia were alive, but beyond that simple fact she couldn't pick up any helpful information - it was if the pair were caught inside a bubble, separated from the Force at large. While searching for a weakness in the strange shield, Ahsoka accidentally brushed her awareness against another who was reaching towards the light of the young Skywalkers.

Her first instinct was to pull back behind tight mental shields. Muscling past that intense desire, the Jedi kept still, letting a few stray thoughts cross over from the darkness: _younglingsabsentconcernconfusion._

For the second time since Bespin, Vader was displaying genuine fear for Luke and Leia, strong enough that his former padawan could pick up on it.

 _Twinsdanger,_ she let slip. _Friendrescuecaptured._

An overwhelming demand for an explanation loomed against her conscious mind.

 _Yourfault._ Vader's demand shuddered, and Ahsoka let a bit of her old vindictiveness lend strength to the thoughts she sent his way. _FriendSoloJabbaTatooine._

She knew good and well that the mechanical limbs that enabled Vader to move were highly susceptible to sand and other fine grit. Setting foot on Tatooine, or any desert world for that matter, would be a risk to his continued mobility and the imposing demeanor he needed to portray at all times.

Perhaps he'd come to Jabba's Palace himself. Perhaps he'd merely send a team of his best soldiers. But either way, Ahsoka had just guaranteed that, should she and Rex fail, the twins would still be rescued.

Vader might not treat them well, but he would keep Luke and Leia alive, which was more than she could say for the Hutt...


End file.
